Newport Woman Arrested in Connection with Middletown Murder

MIDDLETOWN, RI—A Park Holm woman and a Providence man wanted in connection with the killing of a 51-year-old South Carolina man found dead in a bathtub at the Middletown Quality Inn on Tuesday have been arrested after crashing the victim's car while being chased by Connectitcut state troopers on Interstate 95.

Middletown police said officers responded to the Quality Inn on West Main Road on Tuesday at around 3:38 p.m. and discovered a man dead and partially submerged in a bathtub after a report of a suspicious death by hotel staff.

The victim, identified as Mark J. Lussier, 51, of Mount Pleasant, SC, appeared to have been in the tub for "several hours" and was pronounced dead by the MIddletown Fire Department.

Detectives secured the crime scene and processed the room. They learned that Lussier occupied the room with two other people, identified as Lavern Price, 49, of 102 Park Holm, Newport; and Todd Sullo, 41 of 80 Robbins St., Providence.

Detectives soon discovered, with some help from the Providence Police Department and U.S. Marshalls Office, that both suspects were in New York City.

"Autopsy results confirmed that the victim’s cause of death was a homicide and arrest warrants were issued for both Ms. Price and Mr. Sullo," said Middletown Police Lt. Jason Ryan in a news release.

A Middletown detective assigned to the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Apprhension Unit, along with units from the Connecticut State Police, were able to track the suspects as they left New York in Lussier's car.

Connecticut state troopers tried to stop them near Exit 60 on Interstate 95. A chase ensued and the suspects lost control of their car, crashed, and were promptly apprehended.

More information is expected to be released by Middletown police at a press conference Friday morning.