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Attempted Murder Suspect From Melrose Arrested

WESTBOROUGH (CBS) -- The man accused of brutally assaulting his mother and sister in their Melrose home has been arrested in Westborough Tuesday, officials said.

Police have been searching for 54-year-old John Ferreira, of Melrose, who was considered armed and dangerous, since the ordeal on Friday night.

John Ferreira
John Ferreira. (Photo credit: Melrose Police)

According to officials, Ferreira used a rubber mallet to attack his mother in her 70s and his sister in her 50s.

Investigators said the attack may be been provoked by the women's recent actions to lock Ferreira out and serve him an eviction notice.

"He was actually waiting for one of the victims to come home. He pounded her. That's when he tied her up with wire ties and duct tape," said Melrose Police Chief Michael Lyle said. "The other party saw what was going on and tried to intervene. She was hit with the hammer as well."

Ferreira then used one of the victim's cars, a red Toyota Corolla, to get away, officials said.

melrose John Ferreira
John Ferreira arrives at the Melrose Police Department. (WBZ-TV)

According to Westborough police, Ferreira was arrested after an officer recognized the car, ran the numbers on the license plate, and discovered it was the car that been stolen after a home invasion in Melrose. Ferreira was taken into custody without incident just after 12:15 p.m.

"He looked like he had been living in the car for a while, he was very disheveled. He had a dog with him, it was a rottweiler in the car.  He looked tired -- no fight at all, he basically gave himself up and admitted to who he was," said Westborough Police Chief Alan Gordon.

Ferreira is scheduled to appear in Westborough District Court on Wednesday.

Lyle told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 that Ferreira would be facing a list of charges in Melrose. He said they included mayhem, two counts of kidnapping with serious bodily injury, attempted murder, motor vehicle larceny, home invasion, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and armed assault to rob.

He also has six motor vehicle default warrants out of Peabody District Court.

Both women suffered severe injuries.

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