A major manhunt has concluded after a wanted fugitive and his female accomplice attempted to evade authorities by swimming across the Murray River in their underwear. Police arrested Jayden Day, 28, and a 23-year-old Mildura woman on Wednesday following a series of alleged incidents in the Mildura area, approximately 540 kilometers northwest of Melbourne, over the past week.
Series of Violent Incidents
Police believe the violence began when Day forced his way into a home on Hawthorne Grove and shot a 25-year-old man, grazing the top of his head, before fleeing in a white dual-cab utility vehicle just after 1 a.m. on Thursday. The victim sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
In a separate attack, Day and an associate allegedly assaulted a 61-year-old man with a crowbar at a backpackers hostel on Indi Avenue in Red Cliffs around 1:50 a.m. on Tuesday. The victim was hospitalized but has since been released. The motive for the attack remains unknown.
Police Raid and Chase
Police raided a property on Keam Street in Mildura on Tuesday night, arresting a 28-year-old man. He was taken to hospital and remains under police guard. Meanwhile, investigators continued searching for Day, who was spotted on Wednesday morning driving a stolen dark-colored Bentley with a female passenger on Biralle Avenue in Mildura around 7:20 a.m.
Police pursued the Bentley, crossing into New South Wales, where local officers joined the chase. The vehicle was abandoned near Alfred Elms Road in Trentham Cliffs. It is believed the pair then swam across the Murray River back into Victoria wearing only underwear and a G-string.
Arrest and Public Warning
Police issued a public warning that the pair might try to obtain another vehicle and urged residents not to approach them but to call triple zero immediately. Armed Crime Squad detectives had been in Mildura since Thursday, speaking with associates and searching properties to locate Day.
Superintendent Tom Nairn expressed concern about the incidents and noted the possibility that Day could have traveled to New South Wales or South Australia. The manhunt ended with the arrest of both individuals on Wednesday. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
