Saturday, July 28, 2012

Quincy Township, PA: Father 'shoots dead estranged wife and two others' during custody fight over daughter before fleeing with his four-year-old girl

A father allegedly shot dead his estranged wife and two others before fleeing with his four-year-old daughter taking her 250 miles away overnight.

Kevin Cleeves, 35, confronted his wife Brandi Cleeves about custody arrangements for their daughter, Leia, on Friday evening.

During the argument Cleeves gunned down his wife, Vincent Santucci and Rosemary Holma in Quincy Township, Pennsylvania, according to authorities.

He was arrested Saturday morning in Ohio, 250 miles away from the murder scene, where his daughter was with him, safe and unharmed, police said.

Police cancelled an Amber Alert issued for the four-year-old after the shooting saying that Cleeves was armed, dangerous and suicidal.

Cleeves was trying to contact his wife Friday to make arrangements to pick up his daughter but she didn't answer the phone, so he went to a home in Quincy Township, according to court records.

Police said Cleeves, 35, found his wife and Santucci sitting in a car and began arguing with them.

Santucci allegedly told Cleeves to get off his property, reported The Record Herald.

Cleeves then killed both of them and Rosemary Holma before escaping with his daughter, authorities alleged.

Police arrived at the scene shortly before 9pm and worked throughout the night, collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses, said Pennsylvania state police Trooper Adam Reed.

An Amber Alert was cancelled shortly before 7am when police found the pair in Austintown in northeastern Ohio, outside Youngstown.

Cleeves was arrested in the three deaths in Quincy Township, confirmed Reed.

Court records Saturday did not list an attorney for Cleeves.



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