Man living in Jacksonville arrested in 1999 shooting of New York police officer

UPDATE, 3/18/19, 4 p.m.: The New York Police Department has now confirmed to Action News Jax that Officer Vincent Ling is actually alive.

Lester Pearson, 43, a man living in Jacksonville, was arrested Friday in the shooting of Officer Ling.

Action News Jax is working to get updates on Pearson's case.

Original story below:

A man living in Jacksonville is in jail Friday after being connected to the death of a New York police officer.

U.S. marshals said the man is linked to an officer's death nearly 20 years ago.

According to U.S. marshals, officials started a local investigation in 2008.

U.S. marshals told Action News Jax that Lester Pearson, 43, is in jail and faces charges for killing a New York City police officer in 1999.

Investigators said Pearson was living in a North Jacksonville home with a woman on Broad Creek Lane under the name Michael Davis and had a fake ID from Georgia.

Neighbors who asked not to be identified said they were shocked. “Never did I think he was an accused killer or anything like that, you know. Seemed like a family guy,” one said.

This image shows the moment Pearson was arrested Friday morning. Action News Jax is blurring the image to conceal the identities and vehicles of the undercover U.S. marshals.

Action News Jax reporter Ryan Nelson knocked on the door of the Broad Creek Lane home where investigators said they made the arrest. No one came to the door.

U.S. marshals said the investigation began in 2008 but investigators couldn’t pin point Pearson's location at the time. New information from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office allowed them to make an arrest.

Neighbors said they feel mixed emotions after this arrest.

“The alleged killer, he had a family. The cop, the victim, he has a family,” said one neighbor. “And it’s just a mess for both sides.”

Investigators said Pearson is also charged with possession of a weapon by an out of state felon.

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