Two men wanted in murder of 15-year-old boy captured in Middletown

Police have arrested two men wanted in the shooting death of a teenager.

According to Middletown Police, on April 18 at approximately 10:30 a.m., a member of the Patrol Division ran a registration check on a suspicious vehicle at a West Main Road business. The vehicle was occupied by two men. At that time, the check revealed nothing suspicious about the vehicle. At approximately 1:00 pm, the officer that ran the registration check received notification that the vehicle was stolen out of North Carolina and the occupants were wanted in connection to a homicide in Harnett County, North Carolina. Officers searched the area and were unable to re-locate the vehicle.

At approximately 3:30 p.m., Officers located the stolen vehicle in the parking lot of the Rodeway Inn, located at 31 West Main Road, Middletown. With the assistance of the Newport Police Departments Vice Unit, as well as members of the Middletown Police Department, the hotel was surveilled until warrants were obtained.

At approximately 7:00 p.m., one male suspect, later identified as Tommy Jackson, 23, from Sanford, North Carolina and a female exited the hotel and left the area in a black Hyundai Elantra. Middletown Police, members of Rhode Island State Police Swat, Team, Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task Force and Newport Police conducted a felony motor vehicle stop near the on ramp to the Pell Bridge in Newport. Jackson was taken into custody without incident. Jackson was also in possession of a handgun, Jackson was transported to Newport Police for processing and will be arraigned in Second District Court today. The female was questioned and released.

At approximately 7:45 p.m., the Rhode Island State Police SWAT team executed the warrant at the Rodeway Motel and arrested Jesse Richardson, 26, from Fayetteville North Carolina. Richardson was arrested without incident. Richardson was turned over to the Middletown Police Department and charged with being a Fugitive from Justice and Possession of a Stolen Vehicle. The Middletown Police Detective Division processed the scene and will coordinate investigative efforts with the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina.

According to ABC 11 News, the two men were wanted in connection with the killing of 15-year-old Dalton Davis who was shot and killed April 12 in Spring Lake, North Carolina.

The investigation involved the Middletown Police Department, Newport Police Department, Rhode Island State Police and the Rhode Island Violent Fugitive Task force. Both Richardson and Jackson were both safely taken into custody without incident. Both suspects were presented in Second District Court Monday and were awaiting extradition back to North Carolina.