By Linda Cicoira — U.S. Marshals were in Painter today to arrest an Eastern Shore man wanted for a double homicide in Puerto Rico.
Jonathan Aviles-Alers, 28, was arrested at 6:45 a.m., Friday, July 12, at a residence in the 33000 block of Lankford Highway, in Painter.
According to a statement made by a spokesperson of the agency, “When members of the task force approached the house from the front, he (Aviles-Alers) ran around the house and into the backyard where he was taken into custody by other task force members who were already in place.”
Puerto Rico police placed Aviles-Alers on their most wanted list after he allegedly shot and killed two people and injured several others Oct. 23, 2016, in Isabela.
The arrest was a joint effort between U.S. Marshals fugitive task forces in New York/New Jersey-Trenton Division and Norfolk, assisted by Accomack County Sheriff’s Office and Norfolk Fugitive Unit.
Aviles-Alers is being held in the Eastern Shore Regional Jail pending extradition to Puerto Rico.
The mission of U.S. Marshals fugitive task forces is to locate and apprehend the most violent and dangerous fugitives and to provide assistance to other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in support of their fugitive investigations.