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Documents: Authorities believed Hadsell abducted AJ

Posted at 7:45 AM, Oct 08, 2015
and last updated 2015-10-08 21:25:58-04

Norfolk, Va. -  Wesley Hadsell is now facing a new charge for possession of heroin, NewsChannel 3 has learned.

The charge was filed Wednesday.

Hadsell has been in jail for the last 8 months on charges that arose from the police investigation into the disappearance and death of his adopted daughter Anjelica "AJ" Hadsell.

"There`s no question that they`re looking at him under a microscope and they have been for a very long time," says Eric Korslund, Hadsell's attorney for the heroin charge.

Investigators have never publicly named Hadsell as a suspect, but new federal court filings reveal they believed Hadsell abducted AJ. The documents say for a week in March detectives conducted surveillance on him.

They watched Hadsell driving erratically, changing his clothes, at one point even wearing a mask to hide his face. The records say police used that as probable cause to then search Hadsell's hotel room.

We've known for a while federal agents found bullets -- last month he was charged with possession of ammunition as a felon. However, for the first time we're learning what else police found in his room that day.

"9 millimeter rounds, white socks, a game system, lap top, shoes paperwork and duct tape. No heroin is listed whatsoever," Korslund says.

Investigators also found suspected drug residue during a search. After formal analysis by the Virginia Division of Forensic Science, the substance was confirmed to be heroin. We still don't know where police discovered the heroin, only that they found it on the same day they searched Hadsell's hotel.

"I think this evidence applies to other individuals," Korslund says. "There was other individuals in this hotel room who may have had a motive to harm AJ who had a closer relationship than just her step dad. He`s one piece of the puzzle."

AJ's remains were found in April behind an abandoned home in Southampton County. A Medical Examiner later determined that AJ died from acute heroin poisoning.

No suspects have been named in her death.

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Grammar goof or clues in a crime?