NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) - A Newport News man said he had "nothing to do with the murders" of his wife and three step-children.
A Newport News Police spokesman said 36-year-old John Moses Ragin claimed his innocence to detectives from the department's homicide unit.
Detectives traveled to South Carolina where Clarendon County Sheriff's deputies captured Ragin at 2:30 Saturday morning at his parents' home. Investigators said Ragin fled to his parents' home in Manning with his 5-year-old son.
Police have charged Ragin with killing his wife, 32-year-old Crystal Ragin, and her three children from a previous marriage.
Michael Burton, Crystal's former husband, also of Newport News, told WAVY.com that he and his ex-wife had recently come to an agreement that she would let their three children, Sierra, 15, Rasheed, 10, and Lakwan, 4, visit his mother in South Carolina. Burton told WAVY.com he understood his ex-wife and John Ragin were headed for divorce.
Burton said he was in South Carolina when he learned of the murders of his kids. He said he is "still in a state of shock" over their deaths.
Although Burton said Crystal Ragin had full custody of the children, he was "looking forward to seeing them with their grandmother."
Police confirmed that Crystal Ragin was active duty military at Ft. Eustis. Detectives found the four bodies in a Newport News apartment Friday afternoon. Investigators said the bodies had knife wounds and had been exposed to fire.
Newport News Police spokesman Harold Eley told WAVY.com that Ragin faces four counts of first-degree murder as well as weapons and arson charges. Eley said detectives plan to extradite Ragin back to Virginia this week.
The charges could be upgraded to capital murder, Eley said.
The Associated Press reports that Ragin was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in Clarendon County, S.C., in 1991.
A Newport News Police spokesman said 36-year-old John Moses Ragin claimed his innocence to detectives from the department's homicide unit.
Detectives traveled to South Carolina where Clarendon County Sheriff's deputies captured Ragin at 2:30 Saturday morning at his parents' home. Investigators said Ragin fled to his parents' home in Manning with his 5-year-old son.
Police have charged Ragin with killing his wife, 32-year-old Crystal Ragin, and her three children from a previous marriage.
Michael Burton, Crystal's former husband, also of Newport News, told WAVY.com that he and his ex-wife had recently come to an agreement that she would let their three children, Sierra, 15, Rasheed, 10, and Lakwan, 4, visit his mother in South Carolina. Burton told WAVY.com he understood his ex-wife and John Ragin were headed for divorce.
Burton said he was in South Carolina when he learned of the murders of his kids. He said he is "still in a state of shock" over their deaths.
Although Burton said Crystal Ragin had full custody of the children, he was "looking forward to seeing them with their grandmother."
Police confirmed that Crystal Ragin was active duty military at Ft. Eustis. Detectives found the four bodies in a Newport News apartment Friday afternoon. Investigators said the bodies had knife wounds and had been exposed to fire.
Newport News Police spokesman Harold Eley told WAVY.com that Ragin faces four counts of first-degree murder as well as weapons and arson charges. Eley said detectives plan to extradite Ragin back to Virginia this week.
The charges could be upgraded to capital murder, Eley said.
The Associated Press reports that Ragin was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in Clarendon County, S.C., in 1991.