In the late summer of 2015, the community of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, was shaken by the violent death of a local man. Michael Norwood, a 35-year-old male known in the area as a handyman, was shot and killed on August 22nd at the Rest Inn Motel. The incident unfolded abruptly, with witnesses reporting hearing a gunshot and then seeing Norwood slumped over outside. Police discovered him inside his hotel room.
The immediate aftermath of the shooting was chaotic.
The suspect, identified as Damon Caldwell, fled the scene before law enforcement arrived. In a desperate bid to escape, he ran to a nearby house and carjacked a 1996 white Grand Marquis, holding the owner at gunpoint. This brazen act marked the beginning of a years-long effort by law enforcement to bring him to justice. Caldwell, who had been released from prison just two months prior to the shooting, managed to elude capture for five years.
For years, the case of Michael Norwood's death remained a painful open wound for his acquaintances and the local community, many of whom had attended his funeral with the hope of a swift resolution. The Sapulpa Police Department, aided by photo lineups and witness testimonies, knew the identity of their suspect but faced the challenge of locating a man who was actively hiding. Information surfaced that Caldwell may have been using his connections with the Universal Aryan Brotherhood to remain a fugitive, and at one point, he was reportedly using a different name while hiding out in Midwest City.
The long arm of the law finally caught up with Damon Caldwell in 2020. U.S. Marshals, acting on a tip, located and arrested him in Midwest City. At the time of his arrest, Caldwell was found to be in possession of two firearms. His capture brought a sense of relief and long-awaited closure to those who remembered the local handyman whose life was cut short. Following his arrest, Caldwell was held in Oklahoma City with the intention of being returned to face the charges related to the 2015 homicide.
