Judicial proceedings have officially commenced in Broome County Court for a Binghamton man accused of carrying out a deadly double homicide on the city’s West Side. The case brings Scott Mitchell before a jury to answer for violent allegations that initially triggered an expansive, multi-state law enforcement response across the eastern seaboard.
Mitchell, 50, stands accused of two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the February 2025 killings of Daniel McCloe and Marshall VanOven. The formal courtroom proceedings mark a pivotal legal milestone in a case that began when the two victims were discovered dead inside a residential property over a year and a half prior.
The trial process officially initiated with the start of jury selection at the Broome County Courthouse. Following the selection of panel members, Mitchell was scheduled to make his appearance for the trial's formal opening, slated to get underway at 9 a.m. in county court.
The underlying criminal case dates back to early February 2025, when concerns arose regarding the whereabouts of 58-year-old McCloe and 55-year-old VanOven. The two men, identified by investigators as acquaintances, were officially reported missing to authorities on Feb. 3, 2025, prompting local law enforcement to launch a search.
The missing persons inquiry took a grim turn two days later on Feb. 5, 2025. Officers with the Binghamton Police Department traveled to conduct an investigation at a house located at 11 Westwood Court, situated within the city’s West Side neighborhood, where they uncovered the bodies of both McCloe and VanOven inside the residence.
Following the initial discovery, police investigators originally characterized the circumstances surrounding the two deaths as suspicious. A forensic pathologist conducted an examination shortly thereafter and concluded on Feb. 6, 2025, that the manner of death for both McCloe and VanOven was homicide, officially escalating the inquiry into a double murder investigation.
As detectives continued their probe into the homicides, Mitchell was formally identified as the primary suspect. The Binghamton Police Department published a press release alerting the public that Mitchell was wanted for questioning, while simultaneously advising community members that he should be regarded as an armed and dangerous individual.
By the time local authorities publicly identified him, Mitchell had fled New York, initiating an interstate effort to track his movements. On the afternoon of Feb. 8, 2025, authorities in South Carolina were alerted to his potential presence when the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 2 p.m. report regarding a suspicious vehicle.
Deputies in Dorchester County subsequently verified that the suspicious automobile was directly connected to Mitchell and impounded the vehicle. Emphasizing the severity of the situation, the South Carolina sheriff’s agency issued a public notification describing Mitchell as a serious threat to public safety.
The search expanded further south into Florida just days later. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office issued an announcement indicating that Mitchell had been seen in another vehicle that authorities successfully recovered, noting investigators believed the suspect was traveling on foot, potentially within the West DeLand region.
In an effort to rapidly secure Mitchell’s capture, law enforcement agencies intensified their public appeal. The Binghamton Police Department joined forces with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office to announce a combined $10,000 reward for actionable details that would lead directly to Mitchell’s apprehension.
The monetary incentive and accompanying public awareness campaign produced immediate results. Merely hours after the financial reward was publicized, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office confirmed that Mitchell had been apprehended and taken into custody in Daytona Beach, Florida.
During a subsequent live-streamed press briefing, Volusia Sheriff Michael J. Chitwood detailed that Mitchell had been panhandling when an observant AT&T utility worker recognized him. The worker promptly notified law enforcement, enabling deputies to converge on the location and take Mitchell into custody without further incident.
Sheriff Chitwood highlighted that widespread news coverage, along with published photographs depicting Mitchell’s physical appearance and distinctive tattoos, served as instrumental factors in resolving the manhunt. Binghamton detectives promptly mobilized to travel down to Florida to coordinate the suspect's return to New York.
The formal transfer of custody occurred roughly one month later, with Binghamton Police announcing that Mitchell was extradited back to the city to face two counts of second-degree murder. Following his return, Mitchell was officially arraigned in Broome County Court, setting the stage for the murder trial that is now underway before a jury.
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