A murder trial has officially commenced in Broome County Court against a 50-year-old Binghamton man accused of killing two people in early 2025 before leading law enforcement on an interstate pursuit that stretched along the East Coast. Scott Mitchell faces two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the fatal incident that left a local neighborhood shaken and prompted a multistate investigation.
The legal proceedings moved into a pivotal phase as jury selection was initiated on Sept. 14, 2026, within the Broome County Courthouse. Following the impaneling of the jury, Mitchell was scheduled to appear before the court for the formal start of his trial at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, marking the culmination of more than a year and a half of investigative and legal preparations following his apprehension.
Mitchell stands accused of causing the deaths of 58-year-old Daniel McCloe and 55-year-old Marshall VanOven. The two victims, identified by authorities as acquaintances, were found dead inside a residence located at 11 Westwood Court on Binghamton’s West Side during the winter of 2025.
The case originally began as a missing persons investigation when both McCloe and VanOven were first reported missing by acquaintances on Feb. 3, 2025. Concern for their whereabouts quickly prompted local law enforcement to trace the men's last known movements and locations.
Two days after the disappearance was logged, on Feb. 5, 2025, officers from the Binghamton Police Department arrived at the Westwood Court property as part of their active search efforts. Upon entering the home, responding officers discovered the bodies of McCloe and VanOven inside.
Authorities initially classified the unexpected West Side fatalities as suspicious in nature while investigators secured the scene and awaited forensic examinations. The classification officially escalated on Feb. 6, 2025, when a forensic pathologist completed examinations of both victims and formally determined that the manner of death for each man was homicide.
With the deaths confirmed as homicides, Binghamton police intensified their investigation to identify potential suspects. On Feb. 8, 2025, the department issued a formal press release naming Mitchell as a primary suspect wanted for questioning, while simultaneously advising members of the public that he was believed to be armed and dangerous.
The search for the Binghamton resident rapidly expanded across state borders as law enforcement agencies along the East Coast were alerted to Mitchell’s departure from New York. That same afternoon on Feb. 8, authorities in South Carolina made contact with evidence linked to the fleeing suspect.
Deputies with the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office in South Carolina responded at approximately 2 p.m. to a report concerning a suspicious vehicle. Investigators subsequently confirmed that the vehicle was directly tied to Mitchell, prompting deputies to impound the car while warning the local community through social media that the suspect posed a serious threat to the public.
The manhunt shifted further south into Florida over the ensuing days as investigators continued to track his movements. On Feb. 11, 2025, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office publicly reported that Mitchell had been seen in a vehicle that was subsequently recovered by authorities, leaving the suspect on foot and believed to be navigating the West DeLand area.
In an effort to generate actionable community intelligence, the Binghamton Police Department joined forces with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office on Feb. 12, 2025, to announce a combined $10,000 cash reward for information resulting in Mitchell's location and arrest.
The public appeal produced immediate results. Within mere hours of the joint reward announcement, Volusia County deputies located and apprehended Mitchell in Daytona Beach, ending the days-long interstate pursuit without further incident.
During a subsequent live-streamed press briefing, Volusia County Sheriff Michael J. Chitwood detailed the circumstances of the arrest, explaining that Mitchell had been panhandling on the street when an alert AT&T utility worker recognized him and promptly dialed emergency dispatchers. Sheriff Chitwood credited widespread news coverage and publicly distributed law enforcement photographs highlighting Mitchell's physical features and distinctive tattoos for enabling the utility worker to make the critical identification.
Following the apprehension in Florida, Binghamton detectives traveled to Daytona Beach to facilitate the suspect's return to New York. On March 18, 2025, the Binghamton Police Department announced that Mitchell had been successfully extradited back to Broome County and officially charged with two counts of second-degree murder.
Mitchell made a formal court appearance on May 2, 2025, when he was arraigned on the felony murder indictment in Broome County Court, entering the criminal justice process that has now culminated in his trial.
The commencement of the trial brings the long-running criminal matter before a jury of Broome County residents, who will now evaluate the evidence gathered by local and interstate law enforcement agencies following the February 2025 West Side homicides.
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