The suspect in the December triple homicide in Woodbridge could face the death penalty, after being indicted on capital murder charges this week.
The grand jury Monday indicted Anastacio Sanchez-Miranda, 39, of 3514 Briarwood Drive, Apt. 2, in the Dumfries area, on 14 felony charges, including two counts of capital murder for the Dec. 9 shooting deaths of Juan Manuel Guevara, Rosario Europa Martinez and Gerardo Lopez-Garcia, according to court records.
Sanchez-Miranda was also indicted on three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated malicious wounding and seven counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
A grand jury indictment means that prosectors have sufficient evidence to take the case to trial. It is not a finding of guilt or innocence.
At Sanchez-Miranda's preliminary hearing in General District Court last month, witnesses testified that San-chez-Miranda came uninvited to a house in the 13600 block of Grandview Avenue in Woodbridge around 7 a.m. on Dec. 9.
Twelve people were sleeping at the house at the time after celebrating a 2-year-old's birthday party the pre-vious day.
Sanchez-Miranda forced his way into the house that morning and started shooting, witnesses said.
He is accused of shooting five people -- killing three and injuring two-- before fleeing to his sister's house in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where police arrested him five hours later.
Police said they believe that Sanchez-Miranda's estranged wife, Judith Europa, was his intended target that morning. She was not injured. Five children were also in the house that morning, including Europa and Sanchez-Miranda's three children, but none were injured.
Sanchez-Miranda's trial date will be set on April 25.
If convicted of capital murder, he could face the death penalty.
Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-878-8014.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement