FRANKLIN PARK, Pa. — The Franklin Park police officer who ended a nationwide manhunt when he caught a fugitive is talking about that night, only with Channel 11.
Joshua Gurto had been on the run for weeks after police say he raped and killed a 13-month-old girl.
Gurto is currently in the Allegheny County Jail and is scheduled to be extradited to Ohio on Friday.
The officer spotted Gurto early Friday morning walking on Nicholson Road, just past the Herbert campus.
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Even though there is a sidewalk in the area, Franklin Park police Officer Kevin Lestitian said it was still unusual for someone to be walking on the road in the middle of the night.
Lestitian was working his regular 12-hour shift early Friday morning when finished checking on a business and saw a man walk by. The man had a backpack and was wearing camouflage clothing and carrying a tent.
"As soon as he walked by, I knew who it was," Lestitian told Channel 11 on Tuesday. "Once he reached the entrance to Sheetz, he sort of looked back at me, and that point in time I thought I had to act right away."
Gurto was wanted in Conneaut, Ohio, where he was accused of raping and killing a 13-month-old girl.
He had been on the run for nearly three weeks after being charged with aggravated murder and rape in the death of Sereniti Jazzlynn-Sky Blankenship-Sutley.
For the last 12 years, Lestitian has been with the Franklin Park Police Department.
Knowing he had a wanted murder and rape suspect on his hands, Lestitian ordered him to the ground and Gurto complied with all his orders, he said.
"He seemed calm and he seemed like he was exhausted and done from running," Lestitian said.
He described Gurto's arrest as uneventful, a contrast to the huge search the day before and the nationwide manhunt that had been going on for three weeks.
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"It was a relief," Lestitian said. "They'd been looking for him for the last several weeks in our area."
Because Gurto was wanted out of Ohio, Lestitian didn't ask any questions, but he did learn where Gurto had been going.
"I'm assuming he picked up his campsite and was moving, whether he was moving to leave the area or, he told me, he was just going to get something to eat. He was hungry and hadn't eaten in a few days," Lestitian said.
Lestitian said Gurto had maps and a knife on him.
Franklin Park Police Chief Donald Dorsch told Channel 11 he is very proud of his officer's excellent work.