Steven Waldemer
Steven Lee Waldemer, 58, was taken into custody on Friday, after an attempt to serve warrants on him resulted in the death of Walker County Sheriff’s deputy K-9 Tanja and injuries to deputy sheriff Donnie Brown.
Waldemer was located at 377 Moonlake Road, Menlo Walker County, Ga., where he had resided since the spring of 2012. Waldemer was on parole out of Idaho for a kidnapping charge and had transferred his parole to Georgia.
Officers were attempting to serve a Walker County warrant with charges of aggravated sexual battery and a search warrant when Waldemer resisted arrest, shooting K-9 deputy Tanja and Deputy Donnie Brown. Tanja did not survive her wounds, and Deputy Brown was treated and released from the hospital with non-life-threatening superficial wounds to the face and neck areas.
Approximately two hours after initial contact with Waldemer, Department of Corrections K-9 Officer Heath Whited and his bloodhound located the suspect in a wooded area.
Waldemer was taken into custody and is being held at the Walker County Jail on charges of aggravated sexual battery.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting with the investigation and additional charges are pending.