(ROBERTSDALE, Ala.) The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office says Derek Wood who has been on the run for nearly a week now is in police custody.
Wood failed to show up for a court hearing last week. At that time deputies tracked him to a home near Tillman's Corner.
Wood ran off into the woods after cutting off a GPS tracking device. Investigators have been searching for him ever since.
Wood has been out on bond since his initial arrest on second degree sodomy charges.
Wood turned himself in to authorities Friday morning. Wood's arrest for alleged sex crimes adds another twist in the wide ranging investigation into the family members of Brittney Wood, his sister, who's been missing since May.
"We have a lot of possibilities and there are a lot of things you could surmise somebody may have known or may have knowledge of. Keep in mind this was a fairly close family so you could assume a lot of things," said Investigator Eric Winberg with the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office.
On the surface, Brittney's disappearance may seem to have taken a back seat to the arrests of her family members. Brad Dennis with the Klaas Foundation says his search teams are still working closely with police and with Brittney's family.
"It's our belief at least that some of those members that have been arrested at least have some information about what probably took place that evening. They may know her whereabouts or not but we believe they probably know something," said Dennis.
It's believed Brittney's uncle Donny Holland, who committed suicide, and her two other uncles raped and sodomized girls as young as 12. We asked if Brittney was also a victim.
"A lot of the players are the same in both cases however we don't have anything concrete that would substantiate that Brittney Woods was a victim of these sexual allegations," said Winberg.
In the meantime, the search for Brittney continues. Police and her family want answers.
"In this particular case, Brittney's case, it's so frustrating to both. Law enforcement desperately does care they want to bring this child home. They are just not getting the answers they need to help direct or efforts but also theirs," said Dennis.
