Man pleads guilty in ‘07 massacre
Anastacio Miranda Sanchez
Anastacio Miranda Sanchez pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of capital murder and one count of first-degree murder in a 2007 family massacre in Woodbridge.
In court, Sanchez admitted to killing 24-year-old Rosario Europa Martinez, 28-year-old Juan Manuel Rios and 25-year-old Gerardo Lopez Garcia on Dec. 9, 2007.
Sanchez also pleaded guilty to shooting two others — all as they slept following a toddler’s birthday party at the house the day before.
Sanchez’ estranged girlfriend, Judith Martinez, and the three children she had with Sanchez, were also in the house during the 8:30 a.m. shooting at 16613 Grandview Ave.,
Prince William County police Detective Ben Grantham testified in court Thursday.
Prosecutors said they believe Judith Martinez was the intended victim that morning, but her sister Rosario was one of those killed.
Grantham said Sanchez confessed to entering the unlocked house, going upstairs and shooting t Martinez in the chest with a Glock 26mm semi-automatic pistol.
According to testimony, Sanchez then told Juan Manuel Rios — who was in bed with Martinez — that “you shouldn’t have gotten involved in my life. You knew this was coming,“ and shot him once as he tried to get out of bed.
After being shot, Juan Manuel Rios begged Sanchez to leave, but Sanchez shot him several more times and killed him too, Grantham said.
During the investigation, Sanchez told Grantham that Judith’s family was trying to get him out of her life by “drawing a line” between them.
Another victim, Gerardo Garcia was in a bedroom across the hall when he heard the shooting. He opened the door to find Sanchez with the gun.
Sanchez turned the pistol on Garcia and the two struggled for possession of the gun, Grantham said.
Garcia tried to shut the door and briefly caught Sanchez’ hand between the door and the door jamb, but Sanchez broke free, shot through the door, hit Garcia in the chest and killed him, Grantham said.
A surviving victim, Franco Cruz, heard the shooting as he slept in the basement. When he came up to investigate, he was shot in the shoulder.
Cruz feigned death and Sanchez left him lying in the hallway, according to testimony.
The fifth victim, Rafael Guevara Rios, was also shot once when he awoke and went to investigate the gunshots.
Despite being wounded, Guevara Rios took the empty pistol from Sanchez and Sanchez ran from the house, Grantham said.
Guevara Rios told police, after calling 911, that he knew the pistol was empty because the slide was locked in the back position.
Judith Martinez told police that she had seen the shooting and also identified Sanchez as the shooter, Grantham said.
She also told police that Sanchez would probably go to his sister’s house in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Police found him there five hours later, according to testimony.
In addition to the murder charges, Sanchez also pleaded guilty to two counts of malicious wounding.
Sanchez, who also goes by the name Anastacio Sanchez Miranda, faces two life sentences plus 58 years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 5.
Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert said he did not seek the death penalty because the family didn’t ask for it.
“One of the reasons we seek the death penalty is for the solace of the victims,“ Ebert said.
Manassas Bureau Chief Keith Walker can be reached at 703-369-6751.
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Reader Reactions
The lone wolf hatemongers are really out in full force on this page. Probably all gun advocates, racists, evangelicals, anti-abortionIts, Christians, etc. Yes sir. The media is correct, as is the new Justice Dept, and Homeland Security, when they have made remarks on present hatred in the US.
“Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert said he did not seek the death penalty because the family didn’t ask for it.“
This is preposterous. The Commonwealth’s Attorney works for all the citizens, not only the victims. The safety of the community should be paramount in his decision-making.
Ebert took a plea deal to make it easy for him. I am disgusted when I read that he said he cares about the “solace of the victims”. I have no respect for this man. I hope he is reading this. Pay attention to the crimes he prosecutes. I think he needs to be investigated. If this crime didn’t deserve the death penalty what did. If the people that were shot were NOT minority this man wouldn’t be walking. I say that as a person that is NOT a minority so don’t think this is about race. Not for me anyway. I can’t say the same about Paul Ebert. It’s time that victims speak up and do something about a system that allows cold blooded murderers to get away with it. Paul Ebert has stated before that this is “his” department and he will run it the way he wants. I thought he worked for the people! Guess not. I am so upset that this man describes such a cold blooded murder and HE justify’s NOT giving him the death penalty by saying it is for the VICTIMS!
If Ebert didn’t go for the death penalty and thus guy was an illegal, I’d think it would have had more to do with avoiding having a foreign national on death row, as the Mexican government would start interfering and pushing the our federal government to intervene and stop the execution. What is a State issue then becomes an international issue. Eberts reason would (to me) seem a “politically correct” answer but a wussy reply all the same.
Without a doubt,k.o. Illegals should NOT be rewarded for breaking our laws.
The News & Messenger fails to mention that Sanchez was an illegal alien. 80% of the murders in PWC in 2007 were committed by illegal aliens. Another reason why “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” aka amnesty needs to be defeated in Congress AGAIN.
The real reason Paul Ebert did not ask for the death penalty is because it was a minority on minority crime. Not a priority for Paul Ebert. He doesn’t care about the victim. He only cares about getting some kind of guilty verdict to add a notch in his belt. Trust me. I know this first hand.
Fat Filthy Scumbag SOB… EXCORIATE!drf71 you are so right!
Who would have thought that a chubby, gay Mexican elvis impersonator could be capable of such macabre acts. Each of the above adjectives conjures up so many thoughts and feelings: well-nourished bellies, jolliness, and rock ‘n roll royalty. But 1st degree murderer?
The only thing about this steaming pile of dung that absolutely screams “murderer” is his weasely mustache.
“Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert said he did not seek the death penalty because the family didn’t ask for it.
“One of the reasons we seek the death penalty is for the solace of the victims,“ Ebert said.“
You should have gone for the death penaly anyway. The victims didn’t ask to be brutally murdered now this pond scum (my apology to all the ponds in the world) will bleed the taxpayers for the rest of his life. Lets hope its a short one.
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