Suspect, 23, Arrested in Double Homicide

Police have charged a suspect with four counts of first-degree murder in the death of Michael Ladd and Dr. Lois Ladd of Edwardsville.

In a news announcement shortly after 5 p.m on Tuesday, March 19, police in Edwardsville announced that 23-year-old Zachary Capers was charged in the case, and that he had already been in custody since Sunday from another incident unrelated to the murders.

The victims, who lived on North Kansas Street, were stabbed to death, according to police. Their bodies were not discovered until an associate called police on Monday, after Lois Ladd did not show up for work. Police first arrived on the scene around 10:30 a.m.

Lois Ladd was a well-known chiropractor in the area, and her husband was a contractor.

Capers’ last known address was in Collinsville.

The arrest was announced at a press conference in Edwardsville, with few details released about why Capers would have committed such a violent act. Anyone with information related to the case is asked to call the Major Case Squad at 618-307-1611. People can also contact the Edwardsville Police Department through its anonymous tip line at 618-692-7552.

More than two dozen investigators, including those from Troy and nearby communities, have assisted in the case.