Teen sought in grandmother's death arrested after apparent wrong turn near Canada border
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The teen sought by police in Florida after his grandmother was found dead in a shallow grave behind a home was pulled over when he made a wrong turn on a bridge that spans the United States and Canada, reports CBS affiliate WJAX.
Logan Mott, 15, and his grandmother Kristina French, 53, were reported missing Wednesday when they didn't pick up his father and the father's girlfriend at the airport, who were flying back to the Jacksonville area after a vacation. The couple took an Uber back to their Neptune Beach home to find it ransacked with the door open and guns missing from a gun safe, and called police, WJAX reported.
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office director Ron Lendvay said investigators uncovered evidence of foul play and "possible criminal violence" inside the home, and on Thursday uncovered the buried remains in the backyard. The remains have since been positively identified as French.
Mott was charged with stealing French's 2015 Dodge Dart and Lendvay said he was a person of interest in the woman's death as authorities continued the search for him, believing he was still alive and driving the car after he was spotted on surveillance video in Pennsylvania. Officials said he should be considered "armed and dangerous" because of the guns stolen from the Neptune Beach home.
Mott was reportedly pulled over on Friday night by U.S. Customs and Border protection agents in Buffalo, N.Y., when he made a wrong turn on the Peace Bridge, which connects the U.S. and Canada. Officials took him in to custody without incident on the auto theft warrant and he's being held in the Erie County Youth Detention Center, awaiting extradition to Florida, the station reports.
Mott was driving the Dart and traveling alone, the station reports, but officials would not confirm whether he was in possession of any of the stolen guns.
Dominic Saraceno, a Buffalo attorney representing Mott, told WJAX Mott is very upset about his grandmother's death and denies any involvement. He asked the public "not to jump to any conclusions or rush to judgement until a thorough investigation is complete."
Mott's mother Carrie Campbell-Mott released the following statement after learning her son was in custody, WJAX reported: "We are relieved he is safe and in custody and we just ask for everyone to give us time to sort out what happened. That no matter what, Logan is our child and we love him and are standing by him to help in any way. We want to find out what happened to Kristina and we need time for that to happen."
Kristina French worked as director of operations for the May Institute, a non-profit group that serves people with autism and other special needs. The Orange Park group released a statement to WJAX saying they are "devastated" by French's death and calling her a "true champion for people with disabilities."
"Kristina was funny and had a big heart. She cast a positive light on every situation," the statement said. "She would help anyone, and she did it with her beautiful smile and positive attitude. Kristina completely devoted herself to her family, her friends, and her work."
