In hunt for suspected cop killer, 'we'll do what it takes'

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Fredonia, Ariz. • As an army of law officers scoured the high desert for a third day, authorities hoped a $10,000 reward would speed capture of the man suspected of gunning down a Kane County sheriff's deputy.

U.S. Marshal for Arizona David Gonzales announced the reward at a Saturday morning news conference, even as more than 120 officers resumed a ground and air search for Scott Curley in the remote and rugged lands of arroyos and mesas along the Utah-Arizona border.

"We know someone is out there who knows where this individual is and we hope they will step forward," Gonzales said.

In all, 318 officers have been rotating shifts looking for Curley. Law officers from 36 agencies — nine of them federal, eight from Arizona, 18 from Utah and one from Nevada — were on the scene.

Deputy Brian Harris was shot and killed Thursday after pursuing Curley, who was a burglary suspect and allegedly shot the deputy with an AR-15 rifle.

Speaking publicly for the first time at the news conference, Kane County Sheriff Lamont Smith expressed remorse over losing Harris, a 13-year veteran deputy and a close friend.

"It has affected our office," Smith said. "We are a small tight-knit group … in a small area like this, we're a bunch of brothers."

Smith said that he has had a hard time keeping his deputies out of the search for Curley.

He believes Curley is "delusional" and had an agenda, barely staying ahead of his pursuers by living under sagebrush and cedar trees.

Although he is unaware of Curley ever threatening police, after talking to those who knew him, Smith said, Curley was at a "breaking point."

"It could have been from drugs, or alcohol, a lot of things," he said.

Smith said he is overwhelmed by the support he has received from sheriff's offices around the state. "Camaraderie develops from situations like this," he said.

He has received support and suggestions on how to cope with the tragedy from Millard County Sheriff Robert Dekker, whose deputy Josie Fox was gunned down in January.

Fredonia Town Marshal Dan Watson, said at the news conference that people in the community, while not afraid, are concerned about an armed Curley roaming the nearby desert. He described Curley as someone who has depression issues.

"He's a dark kid," Watson said.

He does not believe Curley is operating on any kind of plan, but is wandering around hungry and fatigued in an area with which he is familiar.

Gonzales said the search will likely transition from a tactical search to strategic investigation beginning today, but that the case will remain active and on the front burner. The dollar amount spent on the manhunt so far has not been calculated, he said.

The scope of the search could expand. "We have to have an open mind," he said. "He [Curley] could have gotten a ride."

Coconino County sheriff's Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll said a set of tracks were found in the desert east of Kanab about 7:30 p.m. and a SWAT team is tracking them, but so far no one has been found.

Gonzales described Curley as a "cop killer," and while every murder is taken seriously, "killing a cop raises the stakes. If he'll kill a cop, he'll kill anybody."

Gonzales said there will be a unified core of investigators working the case until Curley is captured.

"We don't care if it takes three weeks, three months or three years, we'll do what it takes," he said.

mhavnes@sltrib.com

Tribune Reporter Nate Carlisle contributed to this report —