Man charged for murder over thirty years ago returned to Adams County

A man is back in the United States and behind bars Wednesday night.

He has been charged with killing a mother and daughter in Adams County more than three decades ago.

Erasmo Junior Cruz was arrested in August after U.S. Marshals tracked him to Puerto Rico. He's accused of the crimes dating back to 1980.

The 56-year-old will face charges in Adams County for killing Nancy Patterson and her daughter Deborah in their Freedom Township home in 1980.

Investigators say two men stormed into the Patterson home and threw beer bottles filled with flaming gasoline into the kitchen.

Two of Nancy's children and her younger brother escaped, but a gunman shot Nancy and her daughter, killing them and injured Nancy's husband.

Cruz is being held without bail for two counts of homicide and other charges.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 28.