HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A man sought for the deaths of a woman and her daughter last weekend in Wayne County is now in custody.
State Police arrested Joshua Morrow, 42, at a home in Huntington around 2 a.m. Friday. The State Police Special Response Team took Morrow into custody without incident a day after obtaining warrants in Wayne County for two counts of first degree murder and a count of first degree arson.
Morrow is accused of setting the fire on Spring Valley Road near Ceredo back on Sunday which left the two women dead. Troopers identified the victims as Erma Brown, 57, and her daughter Britney Brown, 34.
The criminal complaint filed by investigators in Wayne County Circuit Court indicated the remains of the two women were discovered after the fire was under control. Authorities said both women appeared to have stab wounds and blood stains as their remains were removed from the burned home. The state Medical Examiner confirmed both women were stabbed multiple times.
Neighbors said they saw Joshua Morrow leave the home Sunday evening. The criminal complaint also indicated nobody was able to determine the location of a 15-month old baby which also resided at the home. Britney Brown was the mother of the child and Erma Brown her grandmother. Authorities also confirmed Morrow was the child’s biological father.
An Amber Alert was issued on Monday for the little girl. She was located about an hour after the alert was put out in Lincoln County and was safe and unharmed.
Court documents indicated Morrow’s vehicle was observed on surveillance video at the Ceredo area home at 7:42 p.m. Sunday and he was observed leaving the scene at 8:22 p.m. Soon after his departure a glow appeared in the home and steadily increased. The fire was finally noticed and reported at 10:40 p.m.
State Police said Morrow was observed on camera dropping off his daughter at a home in Hamlin, W.Va. around 9:42 p.m. Troopers said they learned Morrow had asked the residents of the home to take care of his daughter and referenced the crime in a conversation.
Witnesses told police Morrow had a large hunting knife. The knife along with a gun were discovered in his vehicle when searched by State Police.
Morrow is lodged in the Western Regional Jail awaiting a preliminary hearing. The hearing is scheduled for Monday morning.