LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from July 28.
A 36-year-old Lancaster County man has been charged in connection to the deaths of two people found Tuesday in a burning vehicle on Charlestown Road, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
Ezequiel B. Almodovar, of Hunsecker Road in Upper Leacock Township, is charged with two counts of homicide in connection to the deaths of the two men found in the vehicle. He is still at large and should be considered armed and dangerous, according to the DA.
The victims are believed to be Jonathan Rivera and Eugenio Morales-Torres, based on evidence and input from relatives, the DA's office said.
The Lancaster County Coroner’s Office is working to officially confirm the identities, according to the DA. Autopsies are expected later this week.
The investigation of the deaths has involved numerous local agencies, including East Lampeter Township police, Manor Township police, Pennsylvania State Police, the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office and the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office, the DA said.
The DA's office says the investigation so far has determined:
- Rivera and Morales-Torres were shot on Monday evening at Almodovar’s home at 1575 Hunsecker Road.
- After being shot, both men were placed in the bed of Morales-Torres’ pickup truck. The truck was then driven to a farm lane on Charlestown Road and set on fire.
- A woman who was an acquaintance and relative of the dead men contacted police Monday night and said the men were missing.
- The men had gone that day to visit “Zeke” (Almodovar’s nickname), police were told.
- East Lampeter Township police went to Almodovar’s home, initially early Tuesday morning. Police gathered evidence outside the home and, later, during a search of the residence.
- Lancaster County-Wide Communications received a report of a vehicle fire at the Manor Township location Tuesday morning about 6:40 a.m. Police determined that fire scene was connected to the shootings.
- The two burned bodies were in the bed of the truck.
- A Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal determined the fire to be arson.
- Police determined the burned truck belonged to Morales-Torres. Almodovar is also charged with arson, tampering with evidence, and two counts of abuse of a corpse.
The investigation remains active. While no further charges have been filed at this time, police are investigating whether anyone else was involved in these criminal acts, according to District Attorney Heather Adams.
Investigators do not believe the alleged crimes are connected to any previous investigations, she said.
“This is a comprehensive investigation involving multiple crime scenes and numerous locations of interest in Lancaster County,” Adams said Wednesday. “The collaboration between law-enforcement agencies once again was outstanding and aided in the identification of Almodovar as being involved in the deaths of these two men.”
Adams' office will provide further updates as more information becomes available.