Greenville officers awarded for capturing suspected murderer, bank robber

Three police officers in the east are hailed as hometown heroes after their efforts in arresting a man wanted in two states for bank robberies, including one robbery that ended with two employees dead.

Greenville Police Chief Holtzman recognized Officers Lovelace and Whaley on Thursday with Outstanding Police Performance awards.

The third officer involved, Officer Slaughter, will be recognized next week. He was off duty at a gas station and spotted the car Brandon Council was driving after a good Samaritan called in a description.

Council was wanted for a bank robbery in Wilson and for the double murder of two bank employees in South Carolina.

All three officers helped in the arrest of Council last month at the Baymont Inn and Suites in Greenville.

An Eastern Carolina man could receive the death penalty if convicted for the murders of two South Carolina bank employees last month.

Brandon Council was arrested August 23rd in the parking lot of a Greenville motel, two days after the CresCom Bank in Conway, South Carolina was robbed.

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday said the Wilson man had been indicted for armed bank robbery resulting in death; use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death of a person in such a manner to constitute murder; and felon in possession of a firearm.

Conway police said on the same day they officially served warrants on Council at the Florence County Detention Center. He faces state charges of two counts of murder, armed robbery, entering a bank with intent to steal, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, unlawful possession of a pistol by certain persons, and grand larceny.

Federal court documents said Council admitted killing Donna Major and Lathryn Skeen, telling FBI agents that he knew he was going to shoot someone that day.

In a federal complaint, FBI agents say Council told them he had watched the movie "Get Rich or Die Tryin", that he was desperate, needed money and knew he was going to shoot someone.

Council is also suspected of robbing the BB&T in Wilson on August 11th. No one was injured in that bank robbery.