GILMER, Texas — An East Texas man who's been on the run for more than a week after allegedly murdering two women in Upshur County has been taken into custody.
During a Thursday morning press conference, the Upshur County Sheriff's Office said Alvin Charles McKnight Jr., 41, was captured Wednesday in San Bernardino, California, by the San Bernardino Police Department. Officials say he had taken a bus from Abilene to San Bernardino and was apprehended when he got off the bus around 11:30 p.m. CT (9:30 p.m. PT), at the San Bernardino Depot. Officials say they obtained a cellphone number that allowed them to track his whereabouts all the way to California.
"There was serious concern over the wellbeing of other bus passengers, so the decision was made to contact the San Bernardino Police Department to set up an operation by which the suspect could be apprehended when he got off the bus there, rather than a roadway stop along the way," the UCSO said.
McKnight was wanted for capital murder in connection with the shooting deaths of Dermetrica Waters, 37, and Mandy Ray, 35, both of Gilmer. Waters and Ray, who were sisters, were found dead at a house in the 2800 block of U.S. Hwy. 271 South near Bluebird Rd., on Saturday, Nov. 4. Upshur County Sheriff Larry Webb says McKnight, who has a known criminal history, had a child with one of the victims, who were sisters.
Webb said that McKnight did not resist arrest and he's now awaiting extradition in the San Bernardino County Jail from California to Upshur County.
The sheriff thanked the following agencies for helping in the investigation: San Bernardino Police Department, Texas Rangers, Longview Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Gladewater Police Department ( who found McKnight's vehicle soon after the shooting).
He also gave thanks to the sheriff's office communications team for confirming information and expressed his gratitude to the citizens of Upshur County for providing tips that helped in getting McKnight captured.
"We haven't had much sleep lately," Webb said, adding that it took mounds of digital data to find McKnight.
Now that McKnight has been found, Webb said the victims' family can grieve and justice can be served.
Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd, who was also at the press conference, reiterated that justice will be served for the families.
Byrd explained there are a lot of steps to take before getting McKnight to Texas from California. The extradition process could take up to several weeks.
He encouraged people to pray and think about those who lost their lives and people impacted by these losses.
Regarding the issue of the death penalty, Byrd said the ethical and responsible thing to do is get McKnight back to Upshur County with a lawyer appointed first and address that afterward.
On Tuesday, the Texas Department of Public Safety added McKnight to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List. A combined reward of $17,500 was offered for information leading to his arrest.
His sister, Laquesha Monique McKnight, 38, of Longview, was arrested for interfering with/hindering his arrest. Officials believe she helped him escape from the Upshur County area the night of the murders.
Authorities say they believe additional people helped McKnight get out of East Texas and they expect additional arrests.
Byrd said every person involved in helping McKnight will be found and prosecuted.
This is a developing story and CBS19 will update this article as more information becomes available.