Multistate crime spree suspect changes plea to guilty in Oglethorpe County
Michael Thomas Dusch. Courtesy of Oglethorpe County Sheriff's Office
OGLETHORPE COUNTY, Ga. - A North Carolina man who polie say went on a multistate crime spree that led to the death of an Oglethorpe County man has changed his plea in Georgia.
Oglethorpe County murder
What we know:
Michael Thomas Dusch changed his plea to guilty during a hearing Aug. 18.
He faced two counts of murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, identity theft and other charges.
Michael Thomas Dusch crime spree
The backstory:
Dusch was arrested in March 2022 in Denton, Texas, during a traffic stop in a stolen vehicle.
Authorities discovered items that linked him to the murder of David J. Stewart in Oglethorpe County.
At the time of his arrest, Dusch was already wanted in North Carolina on charges of child pornography and identity theft.
Arkansas charges
What's next:
He has also been linked to an ongoing investigation in Arkansas. He is expected to be extradited to face those charges.
Dusch’s legal battles
What we don't know:
It remains unknown what specific sentence Dusch faces following his guilty plea.
Authorities have not disclosed what specific items were found in the stolen vehicle that linked Dusch to the murder.
It is unclear when Dusch will be extradited to Arkansas to face charges related to the ongoing investigation there.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from law enforcement officials, who explained how evidence was discovered during a traffic stop, as well as court records detailing the plea hearing.