The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested a man suspected of killing four people in Ohio last week after a manhunt in multiple states.
Suspect Stephen A Marlow was arrested just before 9 p.m. Saturday night near 23rd Street in Lawrence, Lawrence McCabe, spokesman for the Lawrence Police Department, said Sunday.
Marlow has been charged with murdering four people in a Butler Township neighborhood early Friday, officials said.
Ms. McCabe confirmed the multi-state hunt, saying, “Clear communication with multiple agencies at the national and regional levels, followed by proactive teamwork in our patrol department and ultimately an alert officer, resulted in a non-incidental arrest.”
The spokesperson added that the 39-year-old suspect in the quadruple homicide by the duty staff of the task force was in Lawrence.
“Patrol escorts started a city-wide search. An officer on duty saw a vehicle matching the vehicle’s description turn east to W.23rd from Ousdahl Rd and passed the information on,” the statement added.
The vehicle driven by Mr Marlow was seen turning into a parking lot off 23rd Street. After he exited the vehicle, he was taken into safe custody, officials said.
Police added that an outside agency, not their task force, was conducting an investigation.
Ohio Township Police had found multiple crime scenes and four people with gunshot wounds just before noon on Friday as they reached Hardwicke Place and Haverstraw Avenue, Butler Township Police said in a statement.
The four people — identified as Clyde Knox, Eva Knox, Sarah Anderson and Kayla Anderson — were pronounced dead at the scene.
The FBI said the suspect fled the area in a 2007 white Ford Edge SUV with an Ohio license plate.
Butler County Police said a video had surfaced showing the suspect on the internet.
“Our investigators determined that this video was published sometime after yesterday’s incident. We understand that the ideas and language in the video are shocking and so our investigators are working around the clock to ensure that Mr Marlow is taken into custody,” police said.
He was charged with four counts of aggravated murder in Montgomery County, Ohio, and a state warrant was issued for his arrest.
Mr Marlow is also charged with illegal flight to avoid prosecution.