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Woman shares story of survival when 2 allegedly broke into home

UNION COUNTY — The wife of Union County’s chief deputy spoke only to Channel 9 about hiding from two suspected burglars charged with breaking into her home.

Quadarius Mickerson and Anthony Fisher are accused of breaking into four homes two weeks ago, one owned by the second-in-command at the sheriff's office. Chief Deputy Todd Elmore’s wife was in the shower when authorities said the two men broke in.

"I'm in danger" That was one of Candee Wilhelm's first thoughts after getting out of the shower two weeks ago, hearing her dogs barking, then realizing one of her doors was wide open and it wasn't her husband home for lunch.

"There's a guy walking straight into our laundry room and all of this takes a second to process, none of this is OK," Candee told Eyewitness News anchor Liz Foster.

She described only to Channel 9 how she quietly walked back into her bedroom, locked the door, grabbed a gun and called 911.

"If that doorknob had just jiggled, I was going to shoot through the door and that's what I had been prepared to do. Thankfully I didn't have to do that," she said.

When deputies arrived, the two intruders took off. They were caught after a massive overnight manhunt that locked down New Town Elementary School for hours.

"I know they were armed heavily now, so yeah, it was very frightening and I was scared I could lose my life," Candee said.

She is cautious, even at home, and always keeps all doors locked and takes her phone everywhere. She is extra vigilant because of a previous crime. Her first husband, David, a federal agent, was shot and killed 11 years ago in Atlanta by Brian Nichols, who escaped a courthouse and murdered four people before being caught.

"I know [David] watches over me, guides me and helps me and I know he helped me that day," Candee told Channel 9.
 
Investigators said Mickerson and Fisher were stealing electronics and firearms and even stole one of the chief deputy's service handguns from his home. The gun was recovered.

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