Two Murder Suspects From Kentucky Apprehended In The Ozarks:

Homicide investigators from Louisville, Kentucky who put out a bulletin in connection with a death investigation last weekend will travel to the Ozarks to pick their man up.

On Friday December, 19th, firefighters responded to a house fire near Churchill Downs. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they were told that someone was inside.

Firefighters had the suspicious blaze out within seven minutes of arriving on scene, and believe it was arson. Inside the house, near the back of the first floor, first responders found the body of 64 year-old Larry Seigle; the coroner says Seigle was dead before the fire was started.

Thomas Mercurio (above), 25, who lived at Seigle's home was wanted for questioning in relation to Seigle's missing van, according Alicia Smiley, a spokesperson for the Louisville Metro Police.

On Saturday troopers with the Missouri Highway Patrol and officers with the Waynesville and St. Robert police departments along with deputies from the Pulaski County Sheriffs Office worked in conjunction to apprehend Mercurio and a woman after they both allegedly left the scene of an accident after crashing Seigle's van.

When a Highway patrol trooper arrived,the occupants of the wrecked vehicle, a 1994 Nissan Quest minivan, werenot present. A computer inquiry revealed that the vehicle was stolenfrom the state of Kentucky, and that the occupants may be suspects in a homicide, which had occurred in that state.

The manhunt for the Mercurio and his traveling companion, Amy Arden 21, lasted about four hours until cops got a tip that the couple was at the Greyhound bus station near in St. Robert.

Mercurio, was arrested for possession of a stolen motor vehicle, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, careless and imprudent driving, and driving without a valid driver’s license.

Amy E. Arden, was arrested for tampering with a motor vehicle.

Mercurio has been arrested close to fifty times on charges allegedly related to: sexual abuse; prostitution; assault; domestic disturbances and drug charges.

Today (December 22, 2008,) a grand jury, located in Jefferson County ofthe Common Wealth of Kentucky, indicted Mercurio and Arden for several felony offenses, including murder.

Earlier this year another man, Michael Durden, was arrested at Seigle's home for allegedly making meth in the house that the elderly man called home for the last 30 years.

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FULL PRESS RELEASE:

On December 20, 2008, at approximately 5:10 p.m., a Missouri StateHighway Patrol trooper responded to a traffic crash on Interstate 44,near the 159-mile marker, in Pulaski County.

When the trooper arrived,the occupants of the wrecked vehicle, a 1994 Nissan Quest minivan, were not present. A computer inquiry revealed that the vehicle was stolen from the state of Kentucky, and that the occupants may be suspects in a homicide, which had occurred in that state.

An intensive search to locate the occupants was conducted by thePulaski County Sheriff’s Department, the Waynesville and St. Robert police departments, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

At approximately 9 p.m., information from a citizen led to the suspectsbeing located and apprehended, without incident, at the St. Robert bus depot.

Thomas Mercurio, 25, of Louisville, Kentucky, was arrested forpossession of a stolen motor vehicle, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, careless and imprudent driving, and driving withouta valid driver’s license.

Amy E. Arden, 21, also of Louisville, was arrested for tamperingwith a motor vehicle. Both were incarcerated in the Pulaski County Jail.

On December 22, 2008, a grand jury, located in Jefferson County ofthe Common Wealth of Kentucky, indicted Mercurio and Arden for several felony offenses, including murder.

Media inquiries related tothese indictments should be directed to the Louisville Metro PoliceDepartment.

The charges for which Mercurio and Arden have been arrested are mereaccusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.