NEWBERRY COUNTY, S.C. — The search continues in Newberry County for an "armed and dangerous" man deputies say broke into a couple's home, beat them, tied them up and then stole their car.
Tuesday night deputies identified the man they're looking for as 51-year-old Tracy Glenn Parsons. Officers say he's from the town of Whitmire in the county. They were able to identify him using forensic science and human intelligence.
Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster said Parsons is wanted on charges from Laurens County and the state's parole, pardon, and probation agency. According to law enforcement, he was released from prison in 2016.
Around 7:30 p.m. Monday night, off of Dennis Dairy Lane, Foster said deputies began their search for the suspect.
"We got called that a car had been stolen from a family in a home invasion," Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster said.
He said when officers arrived they found that a husband and wife had come home from their day, and the wife went inside to start their dinner, and the husband was in the yard.
"He was confronted by this individual and then the individual pulled out a pistol, threatened him and hit him with the pistol, knocked him down on the ground and tied him up with zip ties," Foster said. "He then left him in the yard and went inside to where his wife was and pretty much did the same thing, struck her, tied her up and went through her pocketbook."
Foster said that's when the man took the couple's car keys and fled. He was spotted in the town of Silverstreet shortly after.
Officers tried to pull him over, but he went off the road and drove into a soybean field and then took off running into a wooded area.
Foster said the man is 5’1” to 5’5” tall with a slender build. He is believed to have salt and pepper hair with possible facial hair. He was wearing a camouflaged jacket, a dark hat and had a black bandana face covering. The suspect was armed with a dark colored semi-automatic pistol.
The couple told deputies they had no idea who this man might have been.
"That's part of the great mystery there is, why that area because that is a rural area and lots of the complaints in that area are littering and speeding, not criminal activity," Foster said.
The victims did not want to be identified, but Foster said they are OK.
"They're doing good. They are traumatized and upset about it," Foster said. "It's a horrible incident to have take place. Not only do you have someone invading your home and your property, but they commit and act of violence on you, so we're very concerned we get this guy and get him off the streets."
If you live in the Silverstreet area, Foster says be aware of the suspect's description and stay alert to your surroundings. All keys from vehicles should be removed and locked and homes should be locked as well.
If you see the suspect, DO NOT APPROACH HIM as he is considered armed and dangerous. Instead, call 911 immediately. Call 9-1-1 instead.