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Accused Murder Released From Hospital, Booked Into Daviess Co. Jail

Last updated on Thursday, July 16, 2015

(DAVIESS CO.) - An Alabama woman, who led police on a high-speed chase through Daviess and Martin County, is now sitting in jail.

30-year-old Candie Zito of Chelsea, Ala. was discharged from Deaconess Hospital in Evansville and was booked into the Daviess County Jail on felony charges of resisting law enforcement and possession of a stolen vehicle.

On Saturday, the Daviess County Sheriff's Department received information from Leeds Police Department in Alabama that Zito and her cousin, 26-year-old Cory Zito, were wanted for questioning in a murder and were possibly headed to Montgomery, IN. They were to be considered armed and dangerous.

Cory Zito remains hospitalized, where he is listed in critical, but stable condition.

According to Leeds Police Chief Byron Jackson, the pair showed up at their grandmother's home in Montgomery. She called police. Daviess County Sheriff Jerry Harbstreit says Candi has other relatives in the area and had also attended school at Barr-Reeve.

Saturday afternoon, just after 1:45 p.m., a deputy with the Daviess County Sheriff's Office noticed the vehicle pulling out from the Vikings Mart Gas station, cross over U.S. 50, and pull into the Dollar General Store parking lot.

The deputy followed the car, where there was a verbal exchange. The deputy ordered the two to shut off the car and put their hands out the window. They refused. The driver of the vehicle put the car in reverse, jumped the curb of the store and took off eastbound on U.S. 50, leading police on a 20-minute chase.

Officials say the chase continued east on U.S. 50 at a high-rate of speed, with the vehicle running other motorists off the roadway.

The chase continued into Martin County throughout the cities of Loogootee and Shoals. Officials say the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to do down an embankment, striking some trees and ending the chase.

Both Cory Zito and Candie Zito were flown by helicopters to an Evansville hospital with serious injuries.

Leeds City Police say the two are wanted for questioning in the death of 22-year-old Anthony Shane Gibson, whose body was discovered Sunday night in a wooded area in Leeds.

Gibson was last seen alive on Thursday, July 2 when he left his home about 8 p.m., telling family he was going to a nearby store. He left in his grandmother's car, a white 1998 Ford Escort. He never returned.

Gibson's body was burned beyond recognition. Jackson says he couldn't disclose details of the crime scene and what may or may not have been found in the area around the body.

There have been no charges filed in Gibson's death.

Jackson says they will begin extradition on Candie Zito and on Cory Zito once they are released from the hospital.

Even though the chase ended in Martin County, Daviess County is filing the charges.

"Because the chase initiated in our county, the Indiana charges are being filed here," Harbstreit says.

Following the crash, Martin County did secure a search warrant and went through the vehicle.

"It did turn out to be the victim's car from the Alabama homicide," Harbstreit says. "Officers did collect evidence that was found in the vehicle and Alabama officials are on their way to question the pair."

There is no word on whether Alabama authorities will be seeking charges against the cousins in Gibson's death.

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