Cops say they have seen ambush suspect near forest

Associated Press

A suspect in the fatal ambush of a trooper has occasionally made himself visible to officers before melting back into the forest, and police found empty packs of Serbian-branded cigarettes and soiled diapers believed to have been left by him, Pennsylvania State Police said Wednesday.

Officers saw a man they believe to be Eric Frein as recently as Tuesday, Lt. Col. George Bivens said Wednesday afternoon. But it was at a distance, and the extremely rugged terrain separating the officers from Frein gave him “the ability to disappear,” Bivens told reporters.

It was the first time authorities have reported possibly laying eyes on the 31-year-old suspect charged with opening fire at the Blooming Grove state police barracks Sept. 12, killing Cpl. Bryon Dickson and seriously wounding a second trooper who remains hospitalized.

Bivens said the discovery of the empty packs of cigarettes and dirty diapers is helping to cement authorities’ belief they were closing in as the manhunt stretched into its 12th full day. They believe Frein is using diapers so he can remain stationary for long periods of time. They are testing the diapers to confirm he wore them.