3 Days of Searching End With Greenville Homicide Suspect Captured

A three-day search across New York ended Sunday when State Police said 32-year-old Thomas David Ryan had been taken into custody in the Gilboa area of Schoharie County. Ryan had been sought in connection with the death of his father, 70-year-old Robert Ryan, whose body was discovered after firefighters extinguished a deliberately set fire at his Greenville home. Authorities had warned during the search that Ryan should be considered armed and dangerous. Police have not yet disclosed details about how he was located or captured.

What Is Happening

New York State Police announced that Ryan was taken into custody in Gilboa, ending an intensive multi-agency search that had expanded beyond Orange County. WRGB reported the capture and said the active search in the Gilboa area had concluded.

Ryan was wanted in connection with the August 6 homicide in the Town of Greenville. Police identified the victim as his father, Robert Ryan, who lived at 512 Greenville Turnpike. Investigators said Thomas Ryan did not live with his father and had no other known current ties to the Greenville community.

During the manhunt, authorities said Ryan had lived a transient lifestyle and stayed at numerous shelters across New York State. They also said he was known to frequent the Plattsburgh area and sometimes traveled by train.

The Background

State Police responded to a structure fire on Greenville Turnpike at about 7:30 p.m. on August 6. After firefighters extinguished the blaze, a deceased man was found inside the residence. Investigators later determined that the fire had been deliberately set and began treating the death as a homicide.

Police subsequently identified the victim as Robert Ryan. FOX 5 New York reported that investigators said Robert Ryan had been killed before the house was set on fire. News 12 reported that surveillance footage from a neighboring home showed the younger Ryan carrying a garbage can filled with chopped wood toward the house and running from the area shortly before the fire began.

Investigators said Ryan fled in his father's gray 2016 Toyota Prius with New York registration HNH-7671. Police asked residents and businesses to review surveillance footage recorded from approximately 6 p.m. on August 6 through the overnight hours as investigators worked to reconstruct his movements.

The Latest Development

Attention shifted north after State Police began searching the Gilboa area in Schoharie County. By Sunday morning, authorities announced that Ryan had been taken into custody and the active search there was over.

The operation involved State Police investigative units as well as Middletown and Port Jervis police, the Orange County Sheriff's Office, NYPD and the FBI. Crime analysis centers, the Orange County Medical Examiner's Office and the Orange County District Attorney's Office were also assisting during the search.

The capture ended the immediate public-safety phase of the manhunt. Earlier, extra patrols had been deployed around Greenville and surrounding communities while officers canvassed neighborhoods and followed reported sightings.

What It Means

For residents in Greenville and the communities where the search expanded, the arrest means police are no longer asking the public to watch for an armed-and-dangerous homicide suspect or the gray Prius connected to the case. The search had involved neighborhood canvasses, surveillance reviews, transportation partners and numerous law-enforcement agencies.

The case now moves away from locating Ryan and back toward the homicide and arson investigation. State Police said additional information would be released when available, meaning the next significant details are likely to concern the circumstances of the killing, the fire and Ryan's capture.

What Remains Unclear

Several major questions are unresolved in the material released so far. Police have not explained where or how Ryan was found in Gilboa, whether the Prius was recovered with him, or what led investigators to Schoharie County.

News 12 also reported Sunday morning that Robert Ryan's cause of death remained unknown. Authorities have said the fire was deliberately set, while FOX 5 New York reported that investigators determined Robert Ryan was killed before the fire. No motive is described in the supplied reports.

FAQ

Who is Thomas David Ryan?

Thomas David Ryan is a 32-year-old man who was sought in connection with the August 6 homicide of his father, Robert Ryan, in Greenville, New York.

Was the Greenville homicide suspect captured?

Yes. New York State Police said Ryan was taken into custody Sunday in the Gilboa area of Schoharie County.

Who was the victim?

The victim was identified as 70-year-old Robert Ryan, Thomas Ryan's father.

Where was Robert Ryan found?

His body was found inside his home on Greenville Turnpike after firefighters extinguished a fire on August 6.

Why was the house fire investigated as arson?

State Police said their preliminary investigation determined that the fire had been deliberately set.

What is still unknown about the case?

Police have not disclosed how Ryan was captured, what led investigators to Gilboa, or a motive. Robert Ryan's cause of death was also reported as unknown Sunday morning.