COPLEY, Ohio — Copley Police Chief Michael Mier tells 3News that officials have arrested a 58-year-old man in connection to Friday's murders in Summit County.
The arrest of Elias Gudino came less than 24 hours after three bodies were found shot to death in Summit County, all of which appeared to have been "bound and gagged."
Gudino is being charged with one count of aggravated murder and one count of attempted aggravated murder.
At around 8:35 a.m., a passerby contacted Akron Police to report what they believed to be two bodies on the side of the roadway along Cordova Avenue.
Less than an hour later, at around 8:50 a.m., an individual reported a body alongside the roadway in the 2100 block of Wright Road in Copley.
In both instances, police said the bodies appeared to have been bound and gagged.
"Police believe that the males had likely been kidnapped from outside this area and brought to Summit County," said Mier. "These males had been bound and gagged. Police are still trying to determine the reason for the kidnapping or what activity the victims might have been involved in."
Currently, Copley and Akron Police detectives are still investigating the incident and pursuing leads, as police believe there could be additional suspects.
According to autopsies conducted by the Summit County Medical Examiner's Office, all three of the deceased men suffered bullet wounds to the head. The names of the victims have not been released at this time.
Officials also noted that they believe this incident was isolated and that the public was not in any danger.
"We do not believe that the public should have any concern for their safety at this time."
3News learned that Gudino was previously convicted of knowingly and intentionally possessing, with intent to distribute approximately 8 kilograms of cocaine in Akron in 2010.
He spent seven years in federal prison on charges stemming from that arrest.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on March 10, 2023.