Homicide suspect Terence Ray returned to Pennsylvania

HAZLETON, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A man accused of the brutal murder of a Luzerne County woman has been extradited from New York back to Hazleton to answer to murder charges.

55-year-old Terence Ray, who arrived at police headquarters in Hazleton around 1:30 p.m. Monday, is charged with the murder of 39-year-old Jessica Lockwood last month and then setting her body on fire.

I-Team Reporter Andy Mehalshick was there as Ray was brought to district court near Hazleton.

Ray was brought back from Westchester County, New York, on Monday afternoon to face murder and other charges.

He was arraigned on those charges by District Judge Jamie Dixon in Hazle Township.

Video of Terence Ray shows him as he was brought into district court Monday afternoon to face a slew of charges.

Ray had nothing to say as he was brought into court or during his arraignment.

Terence Ray appeared in Westchester County Court last Wednesday, where he waived his hearing, clearing the way for him to be returned to Luzerne County.

He was captured near New York City after an 11-day manhunt.

He’s accused of murdering Jessica Lockwood on Saturday, April 26, at his home on Muir Avenue in Hazleton. An autopsy shows she died from a gunshot wound and blunt force trauma.

Investigators say he then took her body to Club 40 Road in Hazleton and set it in fire. A man driving on Club 40 Road discovered the body the next morning.

Lockwood is well known throughout the county because she was a volunteer firefighter with the Harwood Volunteer Fire Department. She was the mother of two children. A 14-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl.

Police say Lockwood met up with Ray to buy painkillers from him. She suffered from substance abuse disorder.

District Judge Jamie Dixon set a preliminary hearing for June 6.

Several friends of Lockwood were at the arraignment. They did not want to make a comment.

Below is a release from the Luzerne County District Attorney, Samuel Sanguedolce on the case: