PALATKA, Fla. – The Florida Highway Patrol and Clay County authorities Wednesday arrested a suspect in the shooting death of two people west of Palatka.
Police said that Stephen West has been charged with killing his girlfriend's ex-husband, Robert Graves, 39, and Graves' mother, Deloris Moss, 61.
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According to police, the incident began Wednesday morning after a court hearing between Graves and his ex-wife.
"Evidently had some issue with the court appearance this morning or the court hearing and he came over here, and we're assuming his target was Mr. Graves," said Lt. Rick Ryan of the Putnam County Sheriff's Department.
According to authorities, a FHP plane spotted the suspect's car (pictured, right) and followed it. Ground units then arrested West at a McDonald's restaurant in Middleburg.
A bumper sticker on West's car read, "Some people are alive simply because it is illegal to kill them."
Judy Lentz told Eyewitness News' Jim Piggott that she was watching when the police arrested West.
"And there was plenty of cops," Lentz said. "So many it was like, 'Gee, well, they've got him in the car, why do they need all these cops for?' They had him in the car and everything. He didn't even make a fight."
Police said West made a statement when he was taken into custody.
"I'm not able to divulge to you what his comments were but, obviously, he did make some comments to the officers that were here on the scene, and of course, that information will be given to Putnam County," said Mary Justino of the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
Piggott reported that West will be transferred to Putnam County for questioning.