A 23-year-old woman allegedly involved in the killings of her three roommates in Virginia was taken into custody after a chase on an upstate New York highway, police said Friday.
Alyssa Jane Venable had been sought by authorities after members of the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office found two men and one woman dead “from upper body trauma” during a welfare check Tuesday night in Fredericksburg, Virginia, the sheriff’s office said.
The victims were identified as Robert John McGuire, 77; Gregory Scott Powell, 60 and Carol Anne Reese, 65.
“After further investigation and evidence collection, it was discovered that a roommate had committed this heinous crime,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement that identified Venable as the suspect. She was wanted on three counts of second-degree murder and a firearms charge, the sheriff’s office said.
New York State Police troopers took Venable into custody Thursday evening, more than 300 miles from Fredericksburg. She was driving a gray Honda Civic on Interstate 86 shortly after 5:30 p.m. when troopers tried to pull her over, but she refused, State Police said. Troopers chased her and authorities used a tire deflation device that caused the Civic to crash, the sheriff’s office said, adding that speeds had reached 100 mph. The State Police was assisted by the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office.
Venable was taken to a hospital for injuries that were not life-threatening, State Police said. She is being detained at the Steuben County jail. The State Police said troopers will proceed with extradition arrangements.
The sheriff’s office did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The State Police said it could not comment on a potential motive.
