Authorities have charged a high school student with murder in the killings of a Dale City mother and son.
Xavier Pinckney, 17, was arrested early yesterday, three days after Jean Smith, 39, and her son James Smith, 19, were shot to death in their home during an attempted burglary, police said.
Pinckney, who lives in the same neighborhood as the victims, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder, burglary, robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, Prince William County police Maj. Ray Colgan said.
His girlfriend, Jacqueline Munoz, 22, has been charged with obstruction of justice and being an accessory after the fact. Police say she provided him an alibi.
Prince William Commonwealth's Attorney Paul B. Ebert said he is seeking to have the murder charges against Pinckney upgraded to capital murder. But he said he is unable to seek the death penalty because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling banning capital punishment for juveniles.
James Smith, who was home from James Madison University for the holidays, was believed to have been sleeping on the couch when a burglar entered the house Friday, police said. He was shot and killed.
His mother returned home that afternoon from Hylton High School, where she volunteers with the school's choir, and found her son's body, Colgan said.
She had been at the school taking pictures as choir members sang Christmas carols in the halls.
"She was discovered by the suspect, and he shot and killed her," Colgan said.
Connor Smith, 16, came home from school Friday about 3 p.m. and discovered the killings.
Colgan said police believe the house was chosen to be burglarized because it looked vacant. There were no cars parked out front.
Police said neighbors led them to the suspect. Officers knocked on doors Sunday afternoon seeking information. By midnight, police had arrested Pinckney, a student at Hylton High.
Colgan said the teenager knew the family and had visited their home as a child, though he had not been there in a few years.
Colgan described the victims as "civic-minded people" and said, "This is an extremely tragic case."
Prince William Supervisor Marty Nohe, a spokesman for the Smith family, said news of an arrest will help in the grieving process.
"Knowing that an arrest has been made is a big relief for the family," he said.
Nohe said the family is starting to plan memorial services for Jean and James Smith. Funerals could be held as early as Friday.
"Nothing can make this experience go away but knowing this piece of this tragedy is behind them is a big relief for them and allows them to get to the other side that they need to get to," Nohe said.
Pinckney is expected to be certified to stand trial as an adult during a court hearing on Jan. 12. He and Munoz are being held without bond.
Kari Pugh and Uriah A. Kiser are staff writers at the Potomac News and Manassas Journal Messenger.
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