Suspect arrested after couple found stabbed to death at home in apparent targeted attack: DA

A suspect accused of stabbing and bludgeoning an elderly couple to death in their Massachusetts home in an apparent targeted attack was arrested in Florida following a multi-day manhunt, officials said.

Florida police located and arrested the suspect -- 27-year-old Christopher Keeley -- Friday night in Miami Beach, days after the discovery of the "brutal murders" in Marshfield, the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office announced Saturday.

Keeley will first have a hearing to determine whether he will waive rendition before his return to Massachusetts to face charges for the double homicide, the office said.

Police conducting a welfare check on the married couple Tuesday night found both dead with "obvious signs of trauma," according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz.

"Both of the victims were stabbed and bludgeoned to death," Cruz said during a press briefing Wednesday morning.

The incident occurred in Marshfield, a city located about 30 miles southeast of Boston in Plymouth County.

The victims were identified as the homeowners -- Carl Mattson and his wife, Vicki Mattson, both 70. Vicki Mattson would have turned 71 on Wednesday, Cruz said. It is unclear when the deaths occurred, he said.

Keeley was acquainted with the couple, according to Cruz. A possible motive is under investigation, he said.

"This does not appear to be a random act of violence," Cruz said. "This appears to be a targeted attack."

A dog missing from the residence was also found dead inside the home, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office. A veterinary follow-up is being conducted.

Keeley's whereabouts were unknown in the wake of the homicides, and it was unclear how long he had been gone, Cruz said.

A law enforcement alert issued amid the manhunt said that Keeley is "known to carry knives," and police warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous.

The suspect was last seen driving a black 2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited that was taken from the scene, Cruz said. The car was later located unoccupied in a parking lot in Avon, which is about 20 miles west of Marshfield, the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office said.

Keeley may have altered his appearance by dying his hair red, police said.

His last known address was in Weymouth, Massachusetts, police said.