A 23-year-old student at the University of Connecticut has been arrested in suspicion of murdering two people, injuring one, and kidnapping his friend's girlfriend.
The suspect, Peter Manfredonia, was captured in Hagerstown, Maryland on Wednesday night. A tweet posted by the Connecticut State Police announced that there was no injury during the arrest.
Officials are planning to hold a press conference on Thursday to provide additional information regarding the case, as reported by CrimeOnline.
Justice for the victims
During a conference on Wednesday night after Manfredonia's capture, Christine Jeltema said that he will be facing justice and that the case will be brought to a close. "This is what is important to the families of the victims," she added.
Jeltema revealed that the location of Manfredonia was discovered as a result of detectives utilizing social media technology alongside their usual methods. "We want to thank the public for providing leads," she added.
The trooper stated that the suspect could face state and federal charges and is being processed at a Maryland State Police barracks.
According to the New York Times, a stolen black Volkswagen Jetta was recovered this week, said investigators, which was driven by Manfredonia near the Pennsylvania border in New Jersey. The suspect was later found walking on foot in the Poconos region of the state.
Manfredonia was taken into custody by the US Marshals Service along with the Washington County Sheriff's Office without any injuries near a Pilot truck shop, as stated by the Hagerstown Police Department.
The suspect is allegedly responsible for the horrendous murder of two people and wounding one before escaping. Police have not found the details behind what prompted the suspect to commit the crimes.
Authorities arrested Manfredonia when walked out of the woods with a nearby truck stop said Michael Dolan, the lawyer for the suspect's family.
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Mental health issues
"I know he's safe and the parents are relieved, and he surrendered, and he did what everybody hoped he would do," Mr Dolan said on Wednesday night.
The lawyer said that earlier this week, the suspect's family and friends urged him to come in and surrender himself quietly. Manfredonia was also allegedly battling depression and anxiety for years, even after working with several therapists, Dolan added.
On Friday morning, police stated that the murder weapon used by Manfredonia to kill 62-year-old Ted DeMers was an edged weapon. DeMers was a woodworker who gave Manfredonia a ride in Willington, Connecticut found 30 minutes northeast of Hartford.
Later, Manfredonia injured a neighbour who tried to intervene, said police.
He broke into a nearby home on Sunday and kept the owner hostage before robbing him and taking his guns and truck. He then drove off to the residence of Nicholas J. Eisele and killed him. Eisele was an acquaintance of Manfredonia who lived in Derby.
Afterwards, he kidnapped another person from the residence before stealing a car which he used to escape to New Jersey, authorities said. After arriving in the state, Manfredonia released his captive and left the stolen vehicle before fleeing into Pennsylvania and being seen on his own.
State authorities, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), searched to locate Manfredonia. He enrolled in the University of Connecticut in 2015 and was part of a joint business and engineering program as a senior.
Ned Lamont, the governor of Connecticut, gave his sincerest thanks to local law enforcement officers for their work on the case on Wednesday. "We are appreciative of their unified approach to this disturbing situations," he posted on Twitter.
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