NY Murder Suspect Taken Into Custody In NH; Mother & Baby Now Safe
GILSUM, N.H. (CBS/AP) - The man wanted in connection with a triple homicide in New York was taken into custody without incident in Gilsum, New Hampshire on Wednesday night.
Massachusetts State Police earlier issued an Amber Alert seeking 23-year-old Matthew Slocum, who was traveling with four-month-old Raymond Slocum and 25-year-old Loretta Colegrove.
A couple hours after the Amber Alert was issued at around 2 p.m., police found suspect's vehicle, a 2003 Ford Mustang, in Gilsum, NH. A patrol officer spotted the car parked at the driveway of a home in a Gilsum neighborhood, leading police to evacuate a large area. Neighbors told WBZ-TV they believed one of Slocum's relatives lived at that home.
WBZ-TV's Beth Germano reports from Gilsum, N.H.
By 9:30 p.m., police and SWAT teams began to make contact with Slocum, ordering him to surrender.
At around 10 p.m., Colegrove emerged from the home, clutching her four-month-old.
"It was a very successful negotiation," said a New Hampshire state police officer. He added that New York authorities were on the scene.
Fifteen minutes later, Slocum finally emerged from the home in handcuffs, peacefully surrendering to authorities.
WBZ-TV's Christina Hager reports from Adams.
Slocum, Colegrove and the baby were previously seen at around 5 a.m. Wednesday morning at a home in Adams, Massachusetts.
Colegrove's stepfather, who lives in Adams, told WBZ-TV that he is relieved to hear his daughter and her baby are OK.
"I'm just glad my daughter and my grandchild is safe," said James Sicotte, Colegrove's stepfather.
Sicotte added he had no idea why Slocum took his daughter and grandchild on the run.
"Why didn't she say something when she was down here? I could have probably helped," said Sicotte, who added that Colegrove seemed very nervous when he saw her early in the morning.
MURDERS IN NEW YORK
Slocum is a suspect in the deaths of three people who were killed in a suspicious house fire in White Creek, New York.
White Creek Town Supervisor Bob Shay says the victims included Dan Harrington, a deputy highway superintendent, and his wife, Lisa. The Glens Falls Post-Star reports that Dan Harrington's son also died in the early morning fire Wednesday in White Creek, 35 miles northeast of Albany. Authorities say Slocum was Lisa Harrington's son.
State police in New York had also issued an Amber Alert in connection.
Slocum will be held overnight in New Hampshire by police and will likely be arraigned in Keene District Court on Thursday.
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