Man accused of murdering brothers arrested in Saint-Louis

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. — St. Louis Metropolitan Police officers arrested an Illinois man wanted on two counts of murder Friday, police said.

Jeffery Austwick, 54, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly killing his two brothers, Marc Austwick and John Austwick.

Initially, the Highland Park Fire Department and Highland Park Police Department responded to a residential fire in the 1700 block of Park Avenue in Highland Park, Illinois, approximately 20 miles south north of Chicago.

When they arrived, they spotted Marc and John's injuries, calling them suspicious. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene. The fire was extinguished and no other victims were found on the property.

Investigators with Highland Park Police and the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force said they have evidence that Jeffery shot his brothers, who were previously owned by the three siblings' mother, and then set the fire at home. The investigation also concluded that Jeffery fled the scene in a car. The victims were found outside the house.

According to the warrant information, investigators issued a nationwide arrest warrant Wednesday evening for Jeffery for the murders.

Around 5:30 a.m. Friday, SLMPD officers responded to a scene near the Gateway Arch grounds in downtown St. Louis after receiving a call from the National Park Service who spotted Jeffrey.

The Real-Time Crime Center helped officers locate Jeffery using cameras that monitored his movements and directed them to Jeffery's location, an SLMPD spokesperson said. He was arrested without incident after being found in some bushes on Walnut Street near 7th Street.

Jeffery remains in custody in St. Louis, awaiting a court hearing, police said.

The investigation into the fire and death remains active. This story will be updated as more information is released.