HUMPHREYS COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — An unusual case has landed a Tennessee man accused of impersonating a Homeland Security agent behind bars.
The case is centered around a red fox known as “Lu Lu” that Keith Rediker claimed was a federal K-9, according to investigators.
“It’s bizarre, it’s very bizarre,” said Humphreys County Sheriff Chris Davis.
The investigation began after the fox was shot and killed by a neighbor in New Johnsonville. “It was killing her chickens, the animals on the property there that she had,” Davis explained.
“Being a K-9 handler myself, I’ve never heard of a fox, not saying there couldn’t possibly be one — but I’ve just never heard of it. It’s just not practical.”
Sheriff Chris Davis
That’s when the investigation took another turn. “Mr. Rediker had reached out to her and identified himself as a Homeland Security agent and said she was going to be in big trouble, that she had shot and killed a federal K-9 that was used in bomb detection and search and rescue,” said Davis.
The sheriff shared photos of the red fox inside a K-9 cage in the back of a vehicle and a service dog registration for Rediker and the fox that said K-9 search and rescue, K-9 explosive.
“Being a K-9 handler myself, I’ve never heard of a fox, not saying there couldn’t possibly be one somewhere in the nation, but I’ve just never heard of it. It’s just not practical.”
According to Sheriff Davis, this isn’t the first time Rediker has been in trouble with the law for allegedly claiming to be a federal agent. “He makes no bones about it. He will wear around a bulletproof vest out in public and it has ‘firearms instructor’ on it. He will present himself with BDUs (battle dress uniforms) with a duty type belt. There’s way more than meets the eye to this. Looks like he’s been skating and floating and trying to present himself and appear as a Homeland Security agent in several counties across the state.”
Rediker faces criminal impersonation and is now out on bond, but more charges are expected.
“This is a very dangerous situation not only for him, but for the public and for anybody that comes in contact with him,” said Davis.