2-Year-Old Long Island Boy, His Father Found Dead In Jeep

A missing 2-year-old Long Island boy and his father have been found shot to death in Virginia, authorities said. The tragic update came about 12 hours after Suffolk Police asked for the public's help to find Jovani Ligurgo after his father failed to return him to his mother's custody Tuesday afternoon.

A black Jeep Grand Cherokee with NY license plate GAV4699 was found in Rockbridge County, Virginia Wednesday morning. with Jovani Ligurgo and 43-year-old John Ligurgo III dead inside.

During a press briefing (watch it below) Wednesday afternoon, Suffolk Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said her department followed protocol and asked New York State Police to issue an Amber Alert for Jovani, who was believed to have been in possession of a hunting rifle, but that request was denied.

State Police told the Associated Press that Suffolk Police did not provide enough information to meet the criteria for an Amber Alert to be issued.

Between 7 and 8 p.m. Wednesday, a call reporting a possible car fire came into police in Rockbridge County near Lexington, Virginia, according to a WSLS 10 report. Police discovered smoke inside a black Jeep and two people dead inside.

The father and son were both killed by gunshot wounds and a rifle was recovered from the Jeep, WDBJ7 in Virginia reported.

According to Suffolk Police, Jovani's mother dropped him off at his father’s residence on Bretton Woods Drive in Coram at about 7 a.m. Tuesday. When Jovani, who resides with his mother in Smithtown, was not returned to his mother’s custody at the predetermined time, 3:30-4 p.m., the mother called police.

Officers responded to a call of a house fire around 3:35 p.m. at 265 Bretton Woods Drive, where the boy’s father, John Ligurgo, resides. The home was unoccupied when first responders arrived on the scene. Two beds had been intentionally set on fire in the home, Hart said.

Toll cameras captured the Ligurgo's Jeep crossing the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey Tuesday night, ABC 7 reported.