Suspect in 5 Ohio murders talks to reporter during SWAT situation, arrest

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- (WXIX) -- Before North Royalton police took George Brinkman into custody early Tuesday morning following an overnight standoff situation with SWAT teams and local law enforcement officials, he spoke to Cleveland 19's Lacey Crisp on Facebook.

During a press conference, North Royalton Police Det. Dave Loeding said Brinkman is connected to five murders.

On Sunday, Suzanne Taylor and her two daughters, Taylor and Kylie, were found murdered inside of a North Royalton home. On Monday afternoon, Rogell Eugene John II and his wife Roberta Ray John were found murdered in their Lake Township home.

The conversation between Brinkman and Crisp has been edited for clarity and to omit personal information about the reporter. Cleveland 19 News notified the police about the conversation after officials said Brinkman was a suspect hours into the conversation. Officers encouraged Cleveland 19 News to continue talking to Brinkman on Facebook.

Listen to the exchange and read the transcript here.

When the conversation began, Brinkman was not a known suspect. Crisp reached out to Brinkman on Facebook because she noticed he was a Facebook friend of the North Royalton vicitms and wanted to know more about the three women found murdered.

The Stark County sheriff's office says 45-year-old George Brinkman Jr. was charged Tuesday with two counts of murder.

Investigators say Brinkman worked for 71-year-old Rogell Eugene John and 64-year-old Roberta Ray John in North Canton and was watching their house while they were on vacation. They were found dead Monday.

Brinkman is also a suspect in the North Royalton killings of a mother and her two college-age daughters, who were found dead Sunday. The sheriff says authorities are trying to figure out a connection between Brinkman and the three women.

He was taken into custody Tuesday after a standoff in Brunswick. It's unclear if he has an attorney.