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Officers Michael Allen and Robert Lawlor parked their cruiser near where the woman said she saw Kendall, across the street from the HARC building at 900 Asylum Ave.
Almost immediately a man loading a van told Allen he thought the man who was helping him move was Kendall.
Allen said he showed the man, Sammy Trimmier, a photo of Kendall and he said, "Yep. That's him."
Allen said that as soon as he started walking across the street, Kendall took off running.
Kendall headed up the stairs of the building and Allen caught up with him on the second-floor landing. While Allen was trying to handcuff him, Kendall struggled and the two tumbled down a flight of stairs, Allen said. As Kendall was attempting to get away, Allen said, Detective Jeff Antuna came up from behind and caught Kendall.
When police finally handcuffed Kendall, they said, they pulled a 4-inch Colt Python gun out of his pants' pocket.
The gun, which was loaded, is believed to be the murder weapon, East Hartford Police spokesman Officer Hugo Benettieri said today.
Allen said Kendall had been hiding out in abandoned basements and garages "like the Taliban," referring to the former rulers in Afghanistan.
But Allen takes little credit for catching Kendall almost a month after Ramona Kendall and her daughters died from single gunshots to each of their heads.
"If it wasn't for the residents who called in to give us tips, we never would have caught him," Allen said.
"It really was their persistence in giving us tips that lead to his capture."
East Hartford had been offering a $2,500 reward for timely information leading to Kendall's capture.
It was not clear today who would get that reward -- the woman caller or the mover, East Hartford Mayor Timothy D. Larson said today. He said he would discuss the matter with Hartford police.
East Hartford police on Monday charged Kendall with three counts of murder, two counts of capital felony, and one count of first-degree arson.
The capital felony charges were included because of the murders of the children; they carry the possibility of the death sentence.
Kendall was held in lieu of $5 million bond and was to appear this morning in Manchester Superior Court.
Police said they also found Kendall in possession of drugs, but no charges have been filed against him for that or for gun possession.
Before the murders, police were frequently called to the Kendall home at 42 Great Hill Road to respond to arguments between Ramona and Michael. In one incident, Ramona told police Michael had threatened her, but police said they found no signs of physical violence.
Ramona had filed restraining orders against Michael -- most recently in March 2001 -- and was living in a battered women's shelter at that time.
Ramona had filed for divorce, and Michael had been ordered to leave the house by 10 a.m. Dec. 13.
But five hours earlier, Ramona, Alexis, and Kayla were killed and the house set on fire. The bodies were so badly burned that they could not easily be identified.
Court records had described the atmosphere of the home as tense and noted that the children were afraid to live with their father.
The case was to receive national attention. The crime show "America's Most Wanted" was in East Hartford last week and had planned to air the segment Saturday, Jan. 17.
In a related move, Ramona Kendall's family has filed notice of their intent to sue the East Hartford Police Department for negligence, saying Michael Kendall should have been arrested during any of the 18 times they were called to the Kendall home. Had he been arrested, the notice states, the murders could have been prevented.
Police have declined to talk about the suit, citing the pending litigation.
Of Kendall's capture, Larson said today, "It's great news. We can't thank the Hartford Police Department enough."
