Fulton PD apprehend man wanted in questioning for homemade explosive

Update

A man originally from Fulton, who was at large and considered armed and dangerous and wanted by other agencies, is in custody at the Fulton Police Department, as of 1:15 p.m. Tuesday.

Fulton officers arrested Vernon Dale Parker Jr., 42, in the 1800 block of South Business 54 in Fulton between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to Fulton Police Chief Steve Myers.

The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office contacted Fulton Police Department and the Callaway County Sheriff's Office about 4 a.m. Tuesday, believing Parker was in the Fulton area.

According to a post July 27 on the Facebook page for the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office's, deputies there found a homemade explosive device during a search of a residence there. The U.S. Army's Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit from Fort Leonard Wood was dispatched to the scene to secure and take possession of the item. It was transferred to a secure site and detonated.

Three people were arrested at the residence at the time of discovering the bomb, but Parker was still at large when the sheriff's office posted those details on its Facebook page and wanted for questioning.

The latest court documents online show Davis with an Osage Beach address, facing charges of second-degree burglary and theft of a firearm in June 2013 after being arrested by the Miller County Sheriff's Office. A warrant was issued July 9, 2014.

Myers said Parker grew up in Callaway County and went to school in Fulton, which is why he believed he returned to the area.

Myers told the Fulton Sun at 1:15 p.m. that Parker was in custody at the Fulton Police Department and investigators from Pulaski and Miller counties were on their way to Fulton.

Myers said additional charges from Fulton PD and the other agencies could be announced within the next 24 hours, as well as more details about the intent of the improvised explosive device found in Pulaski County.

Parker also has a warrant for failing to register as a sex offender in Callaway County, Myers confirmed. According to Missouri's online sex offender registry, Parker was 15 years old at the time he committed sodomy against an 8-year-old female.