The same 17-year-old male facing murder charges related to the murder of a 6-year-old South Carolina boy now faces kidnapping charges related to an incident last week, according to new information from the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s Office received a report last week that a 16-year-old Ontario County resident had been held against their will in a vehicle for over 12 hours from Monday, May 23 to Tuesday, May 24.
OCSO: Suspects kidnapped Ontario County boy, held him in vehicle for 12 hours
The two suspects reportedly drove the victim around Ontario and Wayne counties. Investigators located the vehicle in the Town of Palmyra. The vehicle was operated by a 17-year-old male juvenile, say police.
Investigators identified Logan French, 21, as the second suspect in the May 23-24 kidnapping in Ontario County. French was arrested at his residence in the Town of Canandaigua on the charge of Kidnapping in the first degree.
The juvenile suspect was arraigned in County Court on Friday, May 27. He was later identified as the same suspect in an Orangeburg County homicide. A warrant was obtained by the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office for his arrest. Police say the juvenile is a former resident of Ontario County but recently moved to Wayne County.
French was arraigned in Ontario County CAP Court and remanded to the Ontario County Jail without bail.
Police say the two suspects would face additional charges in the kidnapping case, which will be presented to the Ontario Grand Jury at a later date.
Two local men arrested this week in connection to same South Carolina murder
Seth Phillips, 19, of Farmington was also recently arrested this week in connection with the same South Carolina murder investigation. The victim of the shooting was identified as 6-year-old Winston Hunter.
Earlier this week, Michael Lloyd, 20, of Canandaigua was accused of murder for his role in a drive-by shooting that happened in Orangeburg County, South Carolina.
Police say the wrong house was targeted in the shooting.
Ethan Thorne Anderson, 19, of West Columbia, South Carolina was taken into custody last week to face a charge of murder, three counts of attempted murder and four counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime.
“We didn’t have to be here, but we’re here simply because some individuals got together in West Columbia, South Carolina, and decided to ride to Woodford or North to make a buy or robbery of marijuana. Now, six-year-old Winston (Hunter) and his family’s house was shot up accidentally,” Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in a press conference.
Winston Hunter died in a drive-by shooting at his family’s home in South Carolina on May 13. (Credit: Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office)
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