Police arrest two murder suspects

The two men were arrested on counts of first-degree murder and kidnapping.

By Juana Summers

Published Nov. 2, 2007

Officers from the Columbia Police Department arrested two men on Wednesday in Columbia who are suspects in a kidnapping that occurred in

Murphysboro, Ill.

The victim of the kidnapping was later murdered in Williams

County, Ill.

The two men, Terrance A. Vinson and Michael J. Thompson, who are both residents of Carbondale, Ill., were arrested in Columbia on charges in Williamson County.

The two men were arrested on counts of first-degree murder and three counts of aggravated kidnapping.

According to a news release from the Columbia Police Department, police detectives from Murphysboro contacted the department on Oct. 30.

When the detectives called, they advised the Columbia police that two murder suspects were possibly in Columbia.

According to the news release, a Columbia police detective saw one of the suspects standing on the front porch of a Columbia home.

At that time, a Code Red was called, and Special Weapons and Tactics team members surrounded the house. According to the news release, both suspects surrendered after approximately 25 minutes.

Columbia Police Capt. Brad Nelson said a Code Red is simply a code that alerts the SWAT Team, as well as the department's crisis negotiation team.

"There has to be some name out there," he said. "So when you need SWAT, you call it."

According to the news release, after the victims were arrested, the residence was searched.

During the search, the investigators located a handgun.

It is unclear as to whether or not the handgun was used in the earlier homicide. Paul Echols, lieutenant of the City of Carbondale Police, said Vinson and Thompson were arrested as part of an ongoing investigation of an instance of unlawful restraint on Oct. 16 in Carbondale.

Echols said the two men are suspects in the kidnapping and murder of Benjamin Slaughter.

Slaughter's body was found Oct. 24 in the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge near Carbondale.

A media release from the Carbondale Police Department stated that the City of Carbondale Police Department, Williamson County Sheriff's Department, Southern Illinois Enforcement Group and the FBI are involved in this investigation.

FBI spokesman Jeff Lanza could not be reached for comment.