BLACKSBURG -- After leading law enforcement on a 37-hour manhunt, William Charles Morva, 24, was arrested Monday afternoon in an area of thick briars on the Huckleberry Trail, about 150 yards from the spot where he is accused of shooting and killing a Montgomery County sheriff's deputy about eight hours earlier.

Morva's arrest and return to jail cap a series of events that began early Sunday morning when authorities say Morva, a Montgomery County Jail inmate, fatally shot a hospital security guard, injured a deputy sheriff and then fled on foot from Montgomery Regional Hospital.

As of Monday evening, Morva had been charged with capital murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, escape and felony assault on a police officer in connection with incidents that occurred Sunday.

Blacksburg Police Department Interim Chief Kim Crannis said authorities planned to meet with Commonwealth's Attorney Brad Finch Monday evening to discuss charges related to that day's shooting.

Throughout the day-and-a-half search for Morva, hundreds of law enforcement officers combed areas of Blacksburg and the Virginia Tech campus, searching locations throughout town, investigating leads and responding to calls of sightings.

The manhunt began Sunday at Montgomery Regional Hospital.

Morva, who had been in jail on charges of attempted armed robbery, was taken to the hospital to seek treatment for a sprained leg and wrist, after the jail's medical staff evaluated his injuries from a reported fall, Sheriff Tommy Whitt said Sunday.

Procedure dictates that inmates are transported in handcuffs and leg irons to the hospital by a deputy sheriff assigned to the jail.

About 2:30 a.m., Morva overpowered the officer, seized his pistol and shot Derrick McFarland, a hospital security guard, said Lt. Joe Davis of the Blacksburg police.

McFarland, 33, of Christiansburg, had tried to assist the deputy sheriff and prevent Morva's escape, police said.

At a Monday evening press conference, Whitt said the deputy, who has not been identified, remained hospitalized but in very stable condition.

Whitt said the deputy suffered a concussion and possible fractures to a bone near the eye and the nose.

Following McFarland's shooting, Morva shed his orange jail-issued jumpsuit and fled toward Hilltop Road, police said.

Police searches throughout the night Sunday failed to find Morva, and his next confirmed sighting was near the Huckleberry Trail trailhead.

That's where authorities say Morva shot and killed Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Cpl. Eric E. Sutphin, 40.

Sutphin, a 13-year member of law enforcement, was awarded the Governor's Public Safety Medal of Valor in 2003 when he was shot twice in the act of capturing the killer of another police officer.

The Medal of Valor is the state's highest award for valor by a public safety officer.

Attorney General Bob McDonnell said there have been seven law enforcement officers killed in Virginia so far this year.

The shooting of Sutphin sent a wave of concern throughout Blacksburg on Monday, the first day of classes at Virginia Tech.

Shortly after the incident, the area of campus south of Washington Street was blockaded, and students and university employees were notified of continued police searches via e-mail, phone and Web site messages.

Tod Burke, a criminal justice professor at Radford University and former police officer, said looking for a suspect in such close proximity to Tech was likely tricky.

"It makes it horrible because school begins today and campuses are open environments," Burke said. "Anyone can walk on a campus and this guy, based on his picture, looks young enough that he could blend in with the student population."

University spokesman Larry Hincker said there were no confirmed sightings of Morva on the Tech campus, but a rumored sighting in Squires Student Center caused the evacuation of hundreds of people from the building about 9:45 a.m.

Those rumors were announced to be unfounded an hour later, but the on-campus gathering place remained shut down for the remainder of the day.

Hincker announced the cancellation of classes soon after, saying university employees were being asked to remain in their offices and students were urged to return to their dorms or off-campus apartments.

In press briefings throughout the afternoon, Davis, with the Blacksburg police, said law enforcement officers continued to search areas of Blacksburg for Morva, patrolling areas of town and following up on tips as they came in.

It was a Blacksburg police tactical team that later found Morva.

Crannis, with the Blacksburg police, said Morva was apprehended without incident about three-quarters of a mile from the entrance to the Huckleberry Trail. A weapon was located nearby.

"One of the tac[tical] teams was doing a grid search and they spread out walking down the trail trying to cover the brush -- it's very thick through there -- and they came upon Mr. Morva underneath some brush," Crannis said at an evening press conference.

Morva was so well-concealed below the briars that the team saw him only on their second pass through the area, Crannis said.

Crannis said that following his discovery and a challenge from officers, Morva, wearing only a pair of shorts, came out from under the brush.

He was taken into custody and transported to jail.

Crannis said Morva had some injuries, including some scratches. She refused to give details on any other injuries.

As of 5 p.m., Morva was held at the Montgomery County Jail, but Crannis said he would be transferred to another facility -- either the New River Valley Regional Jail or the Abingdon Regional Jail.

Morva's brother, Michael Morva, was booked into the Montgomery County Jail at 7:40 a.m. Sunday on charges of possession of marijuana and conspiracy to escape, said Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Lt. Buddy Smith.

Michael Morva is being held without bond.

Smith said he could not say whether or not Michael Morva's conspiracy to escape charge was related to William Morva's escape from custody Sunday.

Prior to his escape, William Morva was in jail on charges of attempted armed robbery of the Deli Mart on Glade Road in Blacksburg in August 2005.

His trial had been continued twice this summer, and the new date was set for Wednesday, according to circuit court records.