FAIRFAX Co., Va. — An alleged serial killer may have claimed the lives of at least four people in Virginia, according to information released Friday by Fairfax County Police.
“He preys on the weak, he preys on the vulnerable, and he does unspeakable things with his victims,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said.
Chief Davis and Harrisonburg Police Chief Kelley Warner organized a Friday afternoon briefing to discuss their findings into the deaths.
The victims range in age from 29 to 54 years old.
In that briefing, officials said they believe they have the suspect in custody and identified him as Anthony Robinson.
"Human remains were found Wednesday tucked away in an isolated wooded area," a Fairfax County Police spokesperson wrote in the announcement of Friday's briefing. "The remains were in a container near a shopping cart in the 2400 block of Fairhaven Avenue in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County."
Officials said they have four victims. Two are have been positively identified, one is tentative and one person’s identification is unknown at this time.
The suspect, who police are calling the “Shopping Cart Killer,” meets victims on dating sites and then meets them at motels, police have found. They added he would eventually leave bodies in shopping carts after killing the victims.
As of Friday, the alleged killer met two victims in Fairfax County and traveled to Harrisonburg where the suspect met and killed two other victims.
Harrisonburg Police Chief Kelly Warner said last month, they found two female victims in an open lot in a commercial district in the city.
They said Robinson was arrested because of surveillance video and cellphone records connecting him to the two victims.
“Both women were discovered within a short distance of each other, dead, although their deaths took place at two separate times."
Meanwhile, Fairfax County authorities found a shopping cart in a wooded area with a lone container.
“When detectives looked inside the lone container, their worst fears were confirmed,” Fairfax County Police Dept. Major Ed O’Carroll said.
Inside the container were what are believed to be the remains of Cheyenne Brown, 29, from Washington, D.C., and those of another unknown person.
“The tentative identification is based upon a very distinct tattoo that Ms. Brown had on her body,” O’Carroll said. “We have determined that the suspect in custody in Harrisonburg was communicating with Ms. Brown utilizing a dating website.”
Fairfax County Police believe there may be other victims throughout the Commonwealth and said now is the time to act.
“We need to act right now with our law enforcement partners to figure out who else our killer has had contact with. What's his MO? Dating sites, motels, blunt force trauma, shopping cart, final resting place,” Chief Davis said. “He's a predator, as all serial killers are.”
News 3 reached out to law enforcement agencies in Hampton Roads for any possible connections to this case.
Officials with the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office released this statement to News 3 Friday evening:
"The Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Office has had no contact with those agencies in regard to any missing persons or have any cases we suspect are related to the Fairfax case. We pray for the families and friends of those still missing that the arrest may lead to the whereabouts of their loved ones."
Williamsburg Police told News 3 Fairfax County Police has not been in contact with them regarding missing persons.
“We will certainly assist them in any way we can should they reach out,” a spokesperson with Williamsburg Police said.
Meanwhile, Friday afternoon, police in Fairfax County had a message for impacted families.
“I'm sorry. My deepest condolences,” O’Carroll said. “This police department - the Harrisonburg Police Department, all of the agencies mentioned - are absolutely committed. Justice will prevail, and the offender will be held accountable.”
Officials are in the process of trying to figure out where the suspect has been to see if they can identify any other victims.
Police said they do believe there may be other victims in the Commonwealth so they are trying to figure out with whom else the suspect has been in contact.
Authorities in this investigation said if you have any information, you can contact the Fairfax County Police Department's Major Crimes bureau at (703) 246-7800.
You can also submit tips anonymously through their Crime Solvers program at 1-866-411-TIPS.
