Click on video link to see Wednesday afternoon press conference with Sheriff John Burns and District Attorney Cindy Intschert.
Update: The suspect is Joshua S. Hunter, who is being held for extradition in Ohio. A warrant has been issued charging him with two counts of 2nd degree murder. The deaths of James and Valbuena occurred between November 29th and 30th in the town of Leray, according to the warrant. It's believed that Mr. Hunter acted alone.
A suspect in the double homicide in Leray is in custody in another state, according to Jefferson County Sheriff John Burns.
Meanwhile the names of the victims have been released. Both of them were Fort Drum soldiers:
- Spc. Waide T. James, 20, from of Cocoa, Florida. Police, however, said he was originally from North Carolina.
- Spc. Diego Valbuena, 23, from Port St. Lucie, Florida
Both soldiers served as motor transport operators with the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, according to Fort Drum Officials.
Spc. James joined the Army in March, 2007 and arrived at Fort Drum in July, 2007.
Spc. Valbuena joined the Army in August 2007 and arrived at Fort Drum in January 2008.
Mr. James married Crystal Apperson last December, according to Ms. Apperson's grandmother, reached in Woodbridge, Virginia. The grandmother said the family has been notified about their loss by police.
The grandmother said she didn't know Mr. James very well. "I only met him a couple of times," she said.
Crystal Apperson, who was staying with her mother in Virginia, declined comment when reached by phone.
The victims were Fort Drum soldiers, as is the suspect, according to Sheriff Burns.
The victims had multiple stab wounds but an autopsy is scheduled for today to determine the cause of death.
The bodies of James and Valbuena were found Tuesday after a search of their apartment at Meadowbrook Apartments near Evans Mills.
The search was conducted after the two men failed to report to their assignments at Fort Drum.
Sheriff Burns said that Hunter is the person of interest who, along with his vehicle, was being sought on Tuesday. Hunter was arrested early this morning in Ohio in possession of the vehicle.
Another person being questioned yesterday after being taken into custody at the Salmon Run Mall has been released and is not a suspect, Burns said.
