Suspects In 'Savage' Quadruple Homicide In Troy, New York Arrested

Two men were arrested for what police called a “savage” quadruple homicide that left two adults and two children dead in upstate New York. James White, 38, and Justin Mann, 24, were taken into custody Friday night.

Both White and Mann were arraigned Saturday on one count of first-degree murder and four counts of second-degree murder. Both men both pleaded not guilty, NBC News reported. They remained in custody at Rensselaer County Jail without bail, according to the New York Times.

The bodies of Shanta Myers, 36, her son Jeremiah, 11, her daughter Shanise, 5, and her partner Brandi Mells, 22, were found inside a home in Troy Tuesday. Their official cause of death was not released but Troy Police Chief John Tedesco said it was impossible to describe the horror, according to the Albany Times Union.

“After being in this business for almost 42 years, I can’t describe the savagery,” he said Wednesday. “Nobody that’s been involved in this case is ever going to forget this, I can tell you that.”

The details surrounding the horrific murders and the apprehension of the suspects remained unclear. No details were yet released about if, or how, the suspects knew the victims and police had not revealed how they caught them.

“We feel confident at this point that there will be no further arrests, but it is certainly open as we continue,” Tedesco said at a press conference Saturday after the arrests. “I don’t have to tell you how good it feels to have these two defendants in custody.”

The motive for the killings had not yet been determined, though Tedesco previously said there were indications at the crime scene that made authorities believe it was “not a random act.” Mann and White were scheduled to appear in court again Jan. 4, 2018.

“There’s a lot of grieving that’s going on, and it will continue to go on,” said deputy mayor of Troy Monica Kurzejeski, according to the Times. “But I think this will be a great opportunity for some closure for these families in the community.”