Jury Deadlocks For 2nd Straight Day In Double Murder Trial

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (AP) — Jurors are still deliberating the case of a Long Island carpenter who prosecutors say killed two women more than 20 years ago.

Newsday reports (http://nwsdy.li/2tt7y4y ) the Suffolk County jury told the state Supreme Court judge that they were still deadlocked in John Bittrolff's trial as of Thursday afternoon after deliberating for nearly 24 hours.

The judge told attorneys that Friday morning he will instruct the jury with an "Allen charge," which will encourage jurors to re-examine their views in order to reach a verdict.

The 50-year-old defendant from Manorville is charged with two counts of second-degree murder. He was arrested in 2014 after DNA linked him to the early 1990s deaths of Rita Tangredi and Colleen McNamee, who worked as prostitutes.

Other than DNA evidence, there's no other evidence directly linking Bittrolff to the slayings.

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Information from: Newsday, http://www.newsday.com