New York State Police announced Monday that 10 arrests have been made in connection with the murder and kidnapping of a homeless man.
Ten people have been charged in connection with the killing of a man who was kidnapped from a homeless encampment in upstate New York, police announced Monday.
The body of Thomas Rath, 33, was found in a shallow grave in a neighboring county on Aug. 3, more than two months after he disappeared, police said.
Nine suspects are charged with kidnapping and two are charged with murder, the New York State Police announced Monday at a press conference. The men and women were arrested during the past two weeks, authorities said.
Additional arrests are expected, police said.
“As this missing person case evolved, it revealed a particularly disturbing and heinous series of events which ultimately revealed the kidnapping and murder of Mr. Rath,” said State Police Cmdr. Jeffrey VanAuken.
A cause of death was not released, nor a possible motive.
Rath disappeared in May from a homeless encampment known as "The Jungle," a collection of tents and makeshift shelters located in the woods about two miles from Cornell University, authorities said.
An investigation began on May 20, after police were contacted to perform a welfare check at the camp, authorities said.
“These individuals were all familiar with each other," State Police Capt. Lucas Anthony said. "I wouldn’t go as far as saying it was an orchestrated event, but it was an ongoing event from start to finish.”
Evidence collected by investigators ultimately led to the suspects' arrests, police said.
