New York State Police have identified the suspect arrested in this week’s double murder in Waterloo as 48-year-old Emerson Tohafjian. They have not yet identified the man and woman he’s accused of shooting to death in an apartment on Virginia Street, saying they’re only 99 percent sure of their identities and need to be 100 percent certain before making the call.
In a Thursday morning news conference, troopers said Tohafjian is in stable condition at an area hospital, being treated for self-inflicted wounds to his neck and wrist. He’ll be charged with murder after his release, and a Grand Jury will also consider additional charges.
Troopers did not comment about a possible motive for the shootings, which killed two people and injured a third (that third victim is now out of the hospital and continuing to recover). But the Seneca County District Attorney said two orders of protection had been issued against Tohafjian by town courts.
The DA says Tohafjian was arrested on misdemeanor charges in early June and again on a first degree rape charge on June 19th. Bail was set at $10,000, and a relative bailed Tohafjian out on June 21st. The DA says he failed to show for his first court date, and his office petitioned the court to issue a warrant for Tohafjan’s arrest and to raise his bail, but the court refused.