Formal murder charges were filed Thursday afternoon against the man local authorities allege killed an elderly couple last week during a daylight burglary of their east Lawrence home.

Damien C. Lewis, 22, was charged in Douglas County District Court with capital murder and first-degree murder in connection with last Thursday’s shooting deaths of George “Pete” Wallace and Wyona Chandlee.

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Lewis was also charged in connection to those deaths with aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, burglary and felon in possession of a firearm, according to Dist. Atty. Christine Kenney.

He was also charged Thursday in a different case with aggravated robbery, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

District Judge Michael Malone set bond in the amount of $900,000 in the murder case and $75,000 in the aggravated robbery case.

Malone also scheduled Lewis’ preliminary hearing for 2 p.m. July 24.

“This is the first capital murder case filed in Douglas County since the reinstatement of the death penalty in 1994,” Kenney said in a statement released to the media. “I want to commend the Lawrence Police Department investigators for their dedication and hard work in solving this case.”

Lawrence Police Chief Ron Olin announced Thursday morning that Lewis, 1600 Haskell, was the only suspect in the double-homicide.

Olin had said Lewis was being held in Douglas County Jail for an aggravated robbery, following a robbery Tuesday night in Edgewood Park, 1600 Maple Lane. At the time of the arrest, items from the dead couple’s home were discovered in Lewis’ possession, the police chief said.

Olin said finding the items in Lewis’ possession offered police a break in what has been a “frustrating investigation.”

Wallace and Chandlee were found dead last Thursday in Chandlee’s house at 1530 Learnard Ave. Police said they believed the couple was shot to death after interrupting a burglary.

Lewis was one of two men who were arrested Tuesday night after they allegedly robbed two acquaintances at gunpoint of $175.

Olin said Lawrence Police are continuing the investigation in the slayings, but no other suspects are believed to be involved.

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