New search warrants reveal at least 60 guns seized from Nash County home after Diana Keel's disappearance

NASHVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- New search warrants show at least 60 guns and three knives were seized from the Keel home after Diana's disappearance.

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The search warrants were tracked down by ABC11 the same day Rexford Lynn Keel was returned from Arizona to face a murder charge in his wife's death.

"We have got a killer off the streets," Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone said at a Friday afternoon news conference.

The search warrants were executed at the couple's home on Old County Home Road on March 11, two days after Diana was reported missing.

Guns seized included Armalite, Ruger, Remingtom and other rifles, Mossberg shotguns, various pistols, revolvers and a bayonet, according to the search warrant. Swords and a "machete-type knife" were also found.

Stone said Lynn Keel worked at a gun store at one point, and was a machinist and a gunsmith.

Investigators also seized computers, hard drives, memory cards and other electronic accessories as well as a Spytec tracking device and several household items, including trash bags and paper towels.

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Stone said Friday that he didn't believe any of the firearms were connected to Diana Keel's death.

"I don't think the motive resulted in gunfire," he said.

Asked whether a sword or knife could have been used in the killing, Stone said, "Something like that could be. Still an open investigation. We're in the process of trying to sort all that out."

The sheriff did say there was a key piece of evidence linking Lynn Keel to his wife's death but would not elaborate.

Investigators also got a search warrant on the Dodge Ram truck Lynn was caught inside in Arizona. In the truck, they found several pieces of mail belonging to Diana, two pages from Diana's daughter's diary and an Oxycodine prescription.

Stone also addressed the issue of whether he knew Lynn Keel before the crime happened. He said he did, knew of his occupation but did not know him that well or his family history.

An NCDOT worker found Diana's body three days after she was reported missing in the woods in Edgecombe County, two to three miles outside of Leggett on Polk's Hole Road.

Sheriff Stone said he couldn't confirm how Diana died but confirmed she was stabbed.

An arrest warrant was issued for Lynn on March 15.

After initially fleeing the state, Lynn was caught in Arizona, about 30 miles from the Mexican border.