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HANNIBAL, MO -- The Hannibal Police Deparment says the man arrested in connection with the murder of two people over the weekend is now facing charges of murder and armed criminal action.

32-year-old Manuel G. Cazares was arrested on Saturday after police found the bodies of 27-year-old Amanda Thomas and 26-year-old Carl Patrick Epley inside an apartment on Starlight Ridge Drive, which is near Huckleberry Park.

During a Monday morning news conference, the Hannibal Police Chief said both of the victims were stabbed with a kitchen knife and the bodies were found in a bedroom of the apartment

Chief Lyndell Davis said it appeared there were no signs of forced entry.

Also during the news conference, it was revealed Thomas had several orders of protection filed against the suspect. The latest incident being a violation of that protection order on February 10, 2009, when Cazares made repeated phone calls to Thomas. He arrested for violating the order of protection.

Cazares is in the Marion County jail on one million dollars bond. He is suppose to make his initial court appearence on March 6, 2009 via video conferencing.