Tips from public result in arrest of wanted murder suspect

Community assistance helped bring a multi-agency manhunt in the Hudson Valley to a close just after midnight Sunday when murder suspect Thomas Ryan was arrested in the Schoharie County town of Gilboa, state police announced Sunday.

Ryan, 32, of Greenville, was wanted in connection with the alleged Aug. 6 homicide of his father, Robert Ryan, 70, at his residence at 512 Greenville Turnpike in the Orange County town of Greenville.

“The community’s assistance proved critical in bringing the search to a safe conclusion,” according to a Sunday afternoon press release from the state police. “On Saturday evening, state police received a tip reporting that the [suspect’s vehicle] had been located unoccupied in a parking lot at 199 State Route 990V in the Town of Gilboa. Upon confirming the vehicle was associated with the investigation, state police, New York City Department of Environmental Protection Police and Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office conducted a coordinated search. Those efforts culminated in Thomas Ryan being located and safely taken into custody by the state police Special Operations Response Team at approximately 12:08 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 9, after another tip was provided by a vigilant community member.”

Troopers said Ryan received medical treatment at the scene for injuries sustained prior to apprehension and was transported to a hospital, where he remains in stable condition in the custody of the state police. He will be charged and arraigned when his medical condition permits.

“This investigation demonstrates what can be accomplished when the community and law enforcement work together toward a common goal,” said Troop F Bureau of Criminal Investigation Capt. Brad Natalizio. “The information provided by alert members of the public – combined with the relentless efforts of our investigators, Troopers, and law enforcement partners across multiple jurisdictions – allowed us to locate Thomas Ryan and bring this search to a safe conclusion. I am extremely proud of the professionalism, coordination, and determination demonstrated by everyone involved, and we are grateful to the public for their vigilance and continued support.”

Background

At about 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6, state police say they responded to a reported structure fire at a residence on Greenville Turnpike in Greenville. After the fire was extinguished, the body of a deceased male was located inside the residence. The preliminary investigation revealed the fire was deliberately set, and the death was being treated as a homicide with Thomas Ryan as the suspect.

Almost immediately, a police search in and around Orange County got underway as authorities requested assistance from the public.

“We are asking the public to remain vigilant and immediately report any sightings of Ryan or the victim’s gray 2016 Toyota Prius [bearing New York license plate HNH-7671],” Natalizio said Friday. “Investigators have coordinated an extensive, multi-agency effort that includes neighboring police departments, crime analysis centers, transportation partners and aviation resources to locate the suspect. Thomas Ryan should be considered armed and dangerous.”

Additionally, residents in the Greenville area were asked to review home surveillance footage recorded from approximately 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 6, through the overnight hours into Friday and to contact the police with any information potentially helpful to the investigation.