Suspect in Ravenna real estate agent's slaying arrested in N.C.

Beacon Journal

AKRON

A nationwide search by U.S. Marshals ended Tuesday night with the capture of the man wanted in the slaying of a prominent Portage County real estate agent.

Robert Grigelaitis, 59, was arrested after being confronted in his pickup truck in Turkey, N.C. by members of the Marshal’s Office Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, which had been searching for the murder suspect since last week with Portage County sheriff’s deputies.

Law enforcement sources in North Carolina say Grigelatais was armed with a handgun that may have been used in the slaying of real estate agent Andrew VonStein. Authorities are expected to conduct forensic testing in an effort to link the gun to the bullet that felled VonStein last week.

Grigelaitis was arrested as he was walking toward the same champagne-colored Ford F-150 pickup truck described by authorities last week. He was arrested as he exited a rest stop in the town of about 200 people. Turkey is located off Interstate 40, about 70 miles north of Wilmington and the Atlantic coastline.

‘˜’˜This is the result of a strong partnership between the Portage County sheriff, the Portage County prosecutor and the U.S. Marshal’s Office. That’s what brought this guy to justice,’’ said U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott, who heads fugitive task force.

Grigelaitis was taken into custody without resistance. Extradition proceedings are expected to begin this week in an effort to return him to Ohio to face murder charges.

‘˜’˜I’m very pleased,’’ Sheriff David Doak said Tuesday night, about 30 minutes after learning of the arrest that unfolded some 615 miles from the Twin Lakes crime scene.

VonStein, 51, was found shot to death Sept. 21 in the basement of a Twin Lakes home he had listed for sale. He was shot once in the right side of the chest. His wallet and cell phone were missing.