NEW YORK (AP) – Police say a 2-year-old Long Island boy and the father suspected of abducting him amid a bitter custody dispute are believed dead in Virginia in an apparent murder-suicide.
Sheriff’s deputies tentatively identified the bodies found Wednesday in a Jeep Grand Cherokee in Rockbridge County as Jovani Ligurgo and his father, John Ligurgo.
Both had a gunshot wound and the Jeep had been set on fire.
The vehicle matched the description and license plate of Ligurgo’s Jeep.
Jovani’s mother alerted police on Tuesday after Ligurgo failed to drop the boy off at a prearranged time.
New York State Police declined to issue an Amber Alert and police in Suffolk County on Long Island waited six hours to ask the public for help.
Amber Alerts are issued only when there’s evidence that an abducted child is in serious danger.
Police said they suspected Ligurgo possessed a hunting rifle.
