PLATTSBURGH — After five days on the run and a four-hour standoff, Anthony "Tony" Pavone tearfully admitted to his crimes when he was returned to the area.
Pavone, 52, of Morrisonville was under heavy security when he arrived in Plattsburgh around noon to face charges for the weekend double homicide in Dannemora.
As he was being escorted into the Plattsburgh State Police station, Pavone apologized to the families of Timothy Carter, 52, of Dannemora and Patricia Howard, 43, of Plattsburgh.
Late Thursday night, Broome County Sheriff's Deputy Thomas Sienko — on routine patrol in the Binghamton suburb of Kirkwood — spotted Pavone's pickup truck in the parking lot of the Del Motel.
MOTEL SURROUNDED
Knowing Pavone was considered dangerous, the Sheriff's Department notified State Police Troop C and other law-enforcement agencies, and SWAT and tactical teams were assembled.
After evacuating the motel, authorities contacted Pavone, who "advised he was armed and refused to surrender," Broome County Sheriff's Department officials said Friday.
Negotiations continued for about four hours.
State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Capt. Robert LaFountain said Pavone did not make threats toward authorities during the standoff. "However, there were threats of suicide."
Pavone finally walked out of his room at about 4 a.m., and police grabbed him without incident.
THERE SINCE TUESDAY
Ashok Patel, who owns the Del Motel, located across the street from a restaurant called The Hideout, said Pavone showed up there Tuesday and checked in under the name James Trombley.
Patel said Pavone stayed all week and kept to himself for most of his stay, although, once, he offered to shovel snow from the motel's parking lot.
"He seemed normal enough," Patel told the Press-Republican.
Patel said Pavone didn't seem anxious or upset.
The motel owner was shocked to hear Pavone was wanted for a double homicide.
"In 10 years, nothing like this has ever happened," Patel said.
He said the three other guests inside the motel were not harmed as the drama unfolded early Friday.
'I'M SORRY'
As Pavone was being brought into Plattsburgh State Police barracks Friday morning to be processed, he started to cry and said, "I'm sorry for the families."
At his arraignment in Clinton County Court Friday afternoon on two counts of second-degree murder, Pavone shocked the courtroom with a bold confession.
"I'd like to plead guilty to whatever I'm charged with," he said, his voice breaking and tears streaming down his face.
Despite the repeated advice of Clinton County Court Judge Patrick McGill, Pavone said he did not want an attorney or to fight the charges.
"And I don't want bail," Pavone said.
But, because McGill was acting as a lower-court judge for the arraignment, he could not accept Pavone's attempt to plead guilty, because of the legal requirements of initial felony arraignments.
Before he was escorted from the courtroom in shackles, a red-faced and emotional Pavone stared blankly at members of Carter's family who attended the arraignment.
SEARCH UNDER WAY
Authorities are executing a search warrant at Pavone's motel room, where they are expected to secure the murder weapon.
Officials have not said what type of gun was used in the shootings.
Police are continuing to investigate Pavone's whereabouts before he arrived in Kirkwood, about 300 miles away from his alleged crimes.
Howard had been Pavone's girlfriend until recently, but she had just started dating Carter.
Police were called to Carter's Route 374 home early Sunday morning after Howard called the Plattsburgh State Police barracks to report that Pavone was outside the residence and refused to leave the property.
When troopers arrived less than a half hour later, they found signs of forced entry and the couple shot to death inside the home.
A massive manhunt has continued since then, with aerial and ground searches across the North Country and police on the lookout nationwide.
Many people speculated that Pavone, a former correction sergeant and Marine, would not be found alive.
NOD TO POLICE
Troop B State Police Commander Maj. Richard C. Smith Jr. said Pavone's apprehension was the result of tireless work by law-enforcement personnel from several agencies and the "diligent, self-initiated work" of Deputy Sienko.
Broome County Sheriff's Department Detective Sgt. Jason Ellis also commended Sienko, a four-year veteran of the force, for being "very diligent in his efforts last night. And it resulted in the apprehension of a (suspected) murderer."
Sienko reportedly saw the truck, blocked it in with his patrol car and ran the license plate, confirming it was the focus of the nationwide alert.
He then secured the area until backup arrived moments later.
Ellis said Pavone threatened suicide "two or three times" during the standoff but did not make any requests during the negotiations.
He now sits behind bars at Clinton County Jail without bail and will reappear in court Monday morning.
If convicted on the second-degree-murder charges alone, Pavone faces 25 years to life in prison.
At a morning news conference, Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie said second-degree-murder charges Pavone "with intentional murder." He said additional charges are likely.
— News Editor Lois Clermont
contributed to this report.
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