2 Teen-Agers Suspected of Killing Missing Boy, 9

Police arrested two teen-agers on suspicion of abducting and killing a 9-year-old boy missing since he left home in nearby Upland to take a bike ride nearly a week ago.

Upland police Detective Kevin Cushman said information received from two independent witnesses over the past two days prompted authorities to arrest the youths, ages 16 and 17, in connection with the disappearance of Jason Matthew Lea, who was last seen Saturday evening.

Despite the new development, including the first indication from police that they believe Jason had been murdered, few details about the case were available Thursday. Police spent the day searching an remote area in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, where they said the missing boy’s body was believed to have been dumped. The search was to resume today.

The suspects, who live in Upland and were not identified because of their ages, were taken to San Bernardino County Juvenile Hall. Two other teen-agers allegedly took part in the crime, but their identities were not yet known by investigators Thursday, Cushman said.

Jason left his home at 7 p.m. Saturday, telling his grandfather--with whom he lived--that he planned to ride his bike to Upland High School, just a block away.

When the boy failed to return home, his grandfather, Jerry Yeager, became worried and summoned police. Jason’s bicycle was found at about 10 p.m. Saturday outside the James Games Family Fun Center on West Foothill Boulevard, and witnesses at the arcade told police they had seen the boy playing video games.

Although Jason had never run away from home before, police initially suspected he may have fled in search of his mother, who lives in Houston and awarded Yeager custody of the boy and his 7-year-old sister, Jennifer, after the children’s stepfather died about six years ago.

But the woman, whose identity was not released, said she had not spoken to her son in over a year, police said.

As the days passed, concern deepened among neighbors of Jason’s at the two-story Tower Apartments on Orchid Court. Many residents began keeping their children inside and maintaining a nervous watch of the grounds, said Alice Lopez, who has lived in the complex for four years.

Meanwhile, police disclosed they had taken the granddaughter from Yeager’s custody and placed in a foster home.

“They (police) say I’ve molested her,” Yeager said. “She’s very shy. She probably feels she was kidnaped. She must be terrified right now.”

Police Capt. Martin Thouvenell said the girl was taken from Yeager because he was not her legal guardian and because of Yeager’s behavior.