Gilmer man suspected of murdering sisters captured in California

UPSHUR COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) - A Gilmer man wanted for the killing of two sisters was captured late Wednesday night in California.

During a Thursday morning press conference, Upshur County Sheriff Larry Webb said Alvin McKnight Jr., 41, was apprehended in San Bernardino, CA, around 11:30 p.m. CST on Wednesday by California authorities after traveling on a bus. Webb said authorities received tips on McKnight’s whereabouts from the public as well as family members but ultimately were able to track him in real time via his cellphone activity.

Webb said they had concerns over the well-being of passengers on the bus, so a decision was made to allow the bus to continue along as they tracked him all the way to San Bernardino. McKnight was ultimately taken into custody by the San Bernardino police after he exited the bus.

McKnight faces capital murder charges in the shooting deaths of Mandy Ray and Dermetrica Dashaunda Waters at a home in Gilmer earlier this month. McKnight has been on the run since Nov. 4.

Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd said that it will take several weeks for McKnight’s extradition to be completed and that evidence will need to be compiled and analyzed before further prosecutorial decisions will be made. Byrd also said that there are other alleged accomplices that are being pursued.

“Every person, no matter what rock they’re hiding under, will be turned over. I will prosecute each and every one of those people,” Byrd said.

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