Chesley John Lucas, wanted in Steven Miller murder, arrested in Halifax eatery during breakfast
Miller, 25, was abducted and killed on July 30 in Conception Bay South, N.L.
Chesley John Lucas's last meal before his arrest in the killing last month of Steven Miller of Newfoundland and Labrador was the Mariner's Special at the Bluenose II in downtown Halifax on Tuesday morning.
Restaurant owner John Carvalho told CBC the arrest of Lucas, wanted on a Canada-wide warrant, barely disturbed the mid-morning breakfast rush.
"It was so subtle that we didn't even notice that he already had the handcuffs on," he said. "The police officers were so professional. I had stepped in the kitchen for 30 seconds just to check on a couple of orders. When I came out, they were standing there, he was standing up handcuffed, and he was on his way out the door."
Carvalho said some people in the restaurant — with about 50 customers at the time, about a quarter to 11 a.m. AT — didn't notice anything had happened. He said he wasn't aware the wanted man was in the Bluenose II.
"I wouldn't know who he was. I did hear something on the news, I think it was last night, they were saying that somebody was in town that was being sought after, that's all I knew," he said.
It wasn't until after the arrest that restaurant staff realized who he was.
"I had no idea until afterwards, when one of my girls said, 'Let me look in the newspaper, I read something earlier,' and there was a picture of him in the Herald of that guy," he said, referring to the Chronicle-Herald.
Carvalho said Lucas was arrested in the middle of his meal — three over-easy eggs with bacon, ham, sausage, home fries, three slices of toast and orange juice — but the waitress didn't get stiffed.
"She got paid, and she got a tip too," he said. "[Police] asked him if he had paid, no, he said he had money in his pocket. I'm not sure how it happened, but we saw money on the table and it was paid for."
**BREAKING UPDATE** Chesley John LUCAS, Wanted for the Murder of Steven MILLER, was just arrested in Halifax by <a href="https://twitter.com/HfxRegPolice">@HfxRegPolice</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/millermurder?src=hash">#millermurder</a>
—@RNC_PoliceNLConst. Dianne Woodworth, public information officer for the Halifax Regional Police, confirmed the arrest in an interview Tuesday.
"At 11 a.m. today, members of the high-risk enforcement action team of the integrated criminal investigation division, with the assistance of patrol officers, arrested 23-year-old Chesley John Lucas at a business in the area of Hollis and Duke streets in Halifax," Woodworth told CBC.
Wordworth said Lucas was arrested without any problems, and he is in Halifax police custody. She directed all other inquiries to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, which tweeted about the arrest at around 12:30 p.m. NT.
The RNC thanked the Halifax police force for their assistance in arresting Lucas, 23, who is accused of first-degree murder, robbery, arson and forcible confinement in last month's abduction and killing of Miller, 25.
Lucas, who is also known as C.J. Clarke, fled the province Saturday on a Marine Atlantic ferry to Nova Scotia.
The RNC held a news conference Monday appealing to the public to help locate Lucas and another wanted man, Brady Myler, who police believed was travelling with him.
Myler turned himself in to police in Halifax shortly after the news conference. He is not wanted in connection with the homicide investigation.
3 other men charged
Police believe Lucas, Paul Connolly, 35, Calvin Kenny, 25, and Kyle Morgan, 19, abducted, robbed and killed Miller on July 30. Connolly, Kenny and Morgan have all also been charged with first-degree murder, forcible confinement, arson and robbery.
Miller's body was discovered at the end of a driveway in the quiet Conception Bay South neighbourhood of Bayview Heights shortly after 8 a.m.
Police were initially alerted about the incident after a 911 hang-up call was made from Miller's home in Seal Cove.
By the time officers arrived, the home was on fire and a woman was waiting for police outside.
The RNC said three armed intruders forced their way into the home, assaulted and then abducted Miller.
Miller sustained multiple stab wounds. However, an official cause of death has not been released.