Investigators following up on tips in postal worker’s death

While mail routes were suspended due to the holiday Monday, there was no break for U. S. Postal Inspection Service workers investigating the murder of Tony Harrelson, 47, a contract truck driver who was shot to death at the Camp Hill Post Office earlier this month.
A $100,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Harrelson’s Oct. 2 death and investigators spent Monday following up on leads and conducting interviews.
Another 50,000 reward flyers have been ordered that will be distributed throughout the Alexander City and Columbus, Ga. areas, according to U.S. Postal Inspection Service public information officer Tony Robinson.
Last week, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service set up a mobile command center at the Opelika Post Office to assist in the investigation of Harrelson’s murder, a case that the U.S. Postal Service, Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department, Camp Hill Police Department and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation are collectively pursuing.
“We’re digging in and we’re going to be here to see this case through to fruition,” Robinson said.
Robinson said every tip called in through the hotlines, “no matter how miniscule it might seem,” is valid.
“That piece of information someone might not think much of, might just be the missing piece of the puzzle that brings this together,” Robinson said.
In fiscal year 2008, postal inspectors investigated a total of 780 postal-related assaults and credible threats. These investigations led to 324 arrests for federal and state violations. Postal inspectors gave additional attention to hundreds of other threats and complaints that were resolved administratively.
“Statistically, assault cases are not a significant portion of our work as compared to the number of postal employees nationwide and murder cases are rare,” Inspector Frank Dyer, team leader for the Postal Inspection Service’s Montgomery Domicile, said in a press release. “However, because the safety of postal employees and postal contractors is one of our primary concerns, we will do whatever we can to solve this kind of crime when it does happen.“
Anyone with information is asked to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service National Law Enforcement Communication Center at 877-876-2455, option 2, the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department at 256-825-4264 or the Secret Witness Hotline at 256-827-2035.