SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — CBS19 has exclusively obtained body camera video showing the arrest in California of an East Texas man who was on the run for more than a week after allegedly murdering two women in Upshur County.
Alvin Charles McKnight Jr., 41, of Gilmer, was captured Wednesday in San Bernardino, California, by the San Bernardino Police Department when he got off a bus that he had taken from Abilene to San Bernardino. He was apprehended around 11:30 p.m. CT (9:30 p.m. PT), according to the Upshur County Sheriff's Office.
He was wanted since Nov. 4 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.
Upshur County Sheriff Larry Webb said McKnight, who has a known criminal history, had a child with one of the victims.
"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.
Once he got off the bus, body camera footage shows officers in San Bernardino arresting and handcuffing McKnight. 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.
Upshur County District Attorney Billy 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.
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.
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