Thomas David Ryan Photo source: New York State Police
Thomas David Ryan remains hospitalized after his capture in Schoharie County; Orange County DA says murder and arson charges are expected
By Joyce Bels
GREENVILLE — A three-day manhunt that began with a burning home and the discovery of a 70-year-old man’s body in western Orange County ended more than 100 miles away early Sunday, after tips from members of the public helped New York State Police locate and capture the victim’s son.
Thomas David Ryan, 32, is suspected of killing his father, Robert Ryan, at the elder Ryan’s Greenville home and intentionally setting the residence on fire, according to State Police and Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler.
Ryan has not yet been arraigned on the anticipated charges. Hoovler told Mid-Hudson News that prosecutors expect Ryan to face second-degree murder, third-degree arson and related offenses once his medical condition permits.
The arrest brought an end to an intensive search that stretched from Orange County into northern New York and ultimately Schoharie County, involving multiple State Police troops, local law enforcement and assistance from the public.
It Began With a House Fire
The investigation started at approximately 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, when troopers from the State Police barracks in Greenville responded to a reported structure fire at a residence on Greenville Turnpike.
Inside the home, investigators discovered Robert Ryan dead.
State Police subsequently determined that the fire had been intentionally set and that Ryan’s death was a homicide. Authorities have said the elder Ryan suffered blunt-force trauma.
The investigation quickly turned toward his son.
Thomas Ryan did not live with his father and had no known current ties to Greenville, according to police. Investigators learned that he had been living a transient lifestyle and had previously stayed at shelters in New York City, Long Island and northern New York.
Police warned that Ryan should be considered armed and dangerous and urged anyone who saw him not to approach him.
Investigators believed he had left the area in his father’s gray 2016 Toyota Prius, and State Police released photographs and information about the vehicle as the search expanded.
Search Expands Across New York
With Ryan’s whereabouts unknown, the investigation quickly became a multi-region operation.
State Police asked Greenville-area residents and businesses to review surveillance and doorbell-camera recordings from Thursday evening for anything that might help establish Ryan’s movements. Police also followed information suggesting he had previously traveled extensively by train and had connections to shelters in other parts of the state.
The search eventually extended into northern New York. Law enforcement agencies in the Plattsburgh area were among those alerted as police attempted to determine where Ryan might have gone.
The decisive break, however, came considerably closer to the Capital Region.
On Saturday evening, State Police received information that the Prius investigators were seeking had been found unoccupied in a parking lot at 199 Route 990V in Gilboa, a rural Schoharie County community.
That discovery dramatically narrowed the search.
State Police concentrated resources around Gilboa and warned residents that the homicide suspect believed to be in the area remained dangerous.
Another Tip Leads Police to Ryan
A second tip from the public ultimately helped police locate Ryan.
At approximately 12:10 a.m. Sunday, authorities took him into custody in Gilboa, bringing the multi-day manhunt to an end. State Police specifically credited information from members of the public with helping investigators find both the vehicle and the suspect.
Ryan had suffered injuries before being captured and received medical treatment at the scene.
He was initially transported to Albany Medical Center and was subsequently transferred to the burn unit at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, according to Hoovler.
The district attorney said Ryan had burns covering at least 18 percent of his body, including severe burns to his arms.
State Police described Ryan as hospitalized in stable condition following his apprehension and said charges and arraignment would follow when medically appropriate.
Authorities have not publicly detailed how Ryan sustained the burns.
Murder and Arson Charges Expected
Hoovler said he expects prosecutors to charge Ryan with Murder in the Second Degree and Arson in the Third Degree, along with related offenses.
A second-degree murder conviction in New York can carry a sentence of 25 years to life, depending upon the circumstances and sentence imposed.
Authorities believe the Greenville fire may have been set in an attempt to conceal Robert Ryan’s killing, although the complete circumstances and a motive have not yet been publicly established.
Until Ryan is formally charged and arraigned, the allegations against him remain accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A Family Tragedy
As the search unfolded, members of Robert Ryan’s family began speaking publicly about the man they lost.
Ryan’s daughter, Stephanie Coiro, described her father as a generous and respected man. She also told news organizations that her brother had struggled with serious mental-health problems and that the family had long worried that a tragedy could occur.
Hoovler similarly told Mid-Hudson News that Thomas Ryan had a history of mental-health problems. Those statements provide family background but do not establish Ryan’s legal mental condition at the time of the alleged crimes, an issue that would require separate medical and legal findings.
One neighbor reportedly attempted to reach Robert Ryan as the Greenville house burned but was driven back by the intensity of the flames.
Public Played a Critical Role
Beyond the criminal investigation itself, the case illustrates how quickly a modern manhunt can depend upon cooperation between police and ordinary residents.
State Police publicly distributed Ryan’s photograph, description and vehicle information while asking residents to check security cameras and immediately report possible sightings.
Those requests produced results.
A citizen’s information helped authorities locate the Prius Saturday evening. Hours later, another tip helped lead police to Ryan himself, according to published reports and State Police information.
What began Thursday evening as a fire investigation in a small Orange County community had, within hours, become a homicide investigation and statewide search for a suspect police considered armed and dangerous.
By shortly after midnight Sunday, it was over.
The investigation itself, however, is far from finished. State Police continue working with law enforcement agencies involved in the case, while Orange County prosecutors await Ryan’s medical clearance before the anticipated murder and arson charges can formally move forward.
For residents who spent the weekend seeing Ryan’s photograph and warnings circulated across television, news websites and social media, the resolution also carries a notable reminder: in this case, the public alerts worked. Tips from people who were paying attention helped police turn an abandoned car into a narrowed search area — and ultimately a capture.
