CONCORDIA, MO – A cross-country manhunt ended in gunfire late Tuesday after a suspect accused of killing his mother and stepfather in rural Arizona was fatally shot by police in Missouri, authorities said.

Francis Alcantar Chavez, 23, was identified as the suspect in the Sunday killings of Cynthia Templeton, 53, and Troy Templeton, 62, at their home in Taylor, Arizona. Police in northern Arizona launched a widespread search after Chavez allegedly fled the crime scene, triggering a nationwide alert.

The bodies of the Templetons were discovered by Cynthia Templeton’s former husband, who arrived at their house on Center Street while returning two children. Authorities say both victims had been fatally shot.

Investigators quickly named Chavez as the prime suspect, prompting law enforcement nationwide to be on the lookout for him and his vehicle. By late Tuesday, Chavez had made his way nearly 1,000 miles east to Concordia, Missouri, police said.

Concordia police first encountered Chavez around 6 p.m. Tuesday, but he managed to evade immediate capture. A short time later, Missouri State Troopers located Chavez’s motorcycle. Authorities say he crashed the motorcycle into a police vehicle and tried to escape on foot.

During the pursuit, law enforcement officials reported that Chavez fired his weapon at a pursuing state trooper, striking the officer’s bulletproof vest. The trooper returned fire, hitting Chavez, who died at the scene.

The injured trooper was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment and is expected to make a full recovery, according to police.

The Templetons were known as dedicated members of the Arizona Rangers, a volunteer law enforcement organization with a storied history. Colleagues remembered them as a couple who found each other through their shared service. Family members said the Templetons had been married just over a year.

Snowflake-Taylor Police Chief Robert Martin called the double homicide a devastating blow to the local community, expressing deep condolences to the Templetons’ family and friends.

Authorities have not released a possible motive for the killings. The investigation spans multiple states and involves both state and local law enforcement agencies.

Officials say the two children present at the Taylor residence were unharmed. Police have not indicated whether they witnessed any of the violence. The Arizona Rangers organization and the wider community continue to mourn the loss of two of their own, as both investigations — into the double homicide and the police-involved shooting in Missouri — remain active.