NY Police Capture Fugitive Suspect in Father’s Death

New York police have arrested Thomas David Ryan in the case of the Greenville house fire that left his 70-year-old father dead, bringing a multiday manhunt to an end. State police said the 32-year-old was taken into custody Sunday in the Gilboa area of Schoharie County after investigators searched for him across multiple counties and agencies.

Authorities said the search began after troopers were called Thursday evening to a fire on Greenville Turnpike in Orange County. Once firefighters put out the flames, they found a dead man inside the home. Police later identified him as Robert Ryan, 70, and said investigators determined the blaze was set on purpose. From there, the case was treated as a homicide, and Thomas Ryan became the focus of the search.

State Police described Ryan as armed and dangerous during the manhunt and told the public not to confront him if spotted, but instead to call 911. Police have not said how he was located or described the circumstances of his arrest, saying additional information would be released later. They also have not disclosed what charges he faces.

Investigators said Thomas Ryan did not live with his father and had no other known connection to the Greenville area at the time. They believed he left the scene in his father’s gray 2016 Toyota Prius. As the search expanded, police reviewed surveillance footage from homes and businesses and asked local residents to check recordings from about 6 p.m. Thursday through the overnight hours.