Man charged with fatally stabbing mother, grandfather in their home

Police have charged a 27-year-old Springfield man with stabbing his mother and grandfather to death inside their home.

James Brown was charged with two counts of first degree murder and three weapons offenses in the deaths of Roth Brown, 51 and Thomas Brown, 79, according to the Union County Prosecutor's Office.

According to authorities, the victims' bodies were found inside the Meckes Street home early Monday afternoon by police officers to went to the residence to conduct a welfare check on Roth and Thomas Brown. The discovery led to an investigation by the Union County Homicide Task Force, Springfield Police Department and Union County Sheriff’s Office Identification Unit was initiated.

"The investigation quickly resulted in James Brown being identified as a suspect," the Prosecutor's Office said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.

On Tuesday morning, authorities say two officers from the Mountainside Police Department, acting on a tip, spotted Brown walking along Route 22 near the border of Springfield and Mountainside. The suspect was then placed under arrest by the officers, according to the prosecutor's Office.

Brown was transported to Union County Jail in Elizabeth and is being held on $2 million bail, authorities said, adding that his first court appearance will take place "in the coming days."

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.