Horrific news - Homicide in Lansdowne (Leesburg, Washington: 2009, crime, house)

[Samara11]

Sheriff: Lansdowne Attack May Have Been Random | LoudounExtra.com | The Washington Post
This is extremely shocking and upsetting, my heart goes out to the victims' family and friends.

I live only 6 to 8 miles from Potomac Station, where this happened. What can we do to stay safe from such crime and keep our neighborhoods safe? Apparently Loudoun is also not a safe haven, like we thought it was.

[ScranBarre]

This is very disturbing and frightening indeed. I'm an avid runner, and the LAST thing I need is to be randomly stabbed or shot to death by a group of thugs in a gang initiation. This seems all too familiar of the story here in Scranton of an elderly man whose throat was slit at random in broad daylight as he walked down a city street. A nurse who was driving by stopped to render aid, but the man passed away at the hospital. Society is just GROTESQUE anymore---ANIMALS!!!

[EuroExpat]

Wow and Lansdowne is supposed to be the good and safe community here. It's not the first homicide there either.

[oneasterisk]

I don't care where you are, crime can strike anyware. Be prepared to defend yourself. He appears to have a CHP so why was he not armed at the time. It's like only wearing your seat belt sometimes, if you are going to choose to carry, carry at all times you are legally allowed to.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by oneasterisk

I don't care where you are, crime can strike anyware.

Excellent advice. In my local suburbs everyone acts "immune" to crime. I'm aware of people who leave their car keys in their ignition overnight, their front doors open for ventilation overnight during the summer, etc., and for the life of me I would have a hard time feeling terribly sorry for them if someone pounced upon that opportunity to steal their vehicle and/or burgle (that's a word?!) their home. The only time I was a victim of crime was when I was pick pocketed during gym class at my SUBURBAN high school.

[Samara11]

Well yes, we do realize that crime can occur anywhere. We do keep all our doors locked all the time, double check them at night and and park our car in the garage, not in the driveway.
My husband was also considering getting a concealed handgun permit since Ashburn has been hit with all those house burglaries recently but I was not comfy with him getting a handgun with a child in the house. Should I re-consider? Or maybe we should get a security alarm system.

But then, what about outside? I would never carry a handgun, no way and he can't go walking with me to the nearest park all the time or grocery-shopping to the nearest Shopper's. I guess I have to limit my ventures outside to during daylight and not when its dark.

[irisheyes13]

I am always sorry to read stories like this.. Very sad..

[normie]

Very sad indeed. There are a few details about this story that don't quite add up, IMO. I have a feeling this is not a random murder and I rather doubt the gang initiation theory, too. Wonder if the guy was a hedge fund manager who had some enemies?

[kevinm]

Originally Posted by EuroExpat

Wow and Lansdowne is supposed to be the good and safe community here. It's not the first homicide there either.

How can it be safe. It is sandwiched between Leesburg and Sterling which are crime nests. The criminals get their money by going where the money is.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by kevinm

How can it be safe. It is sandwiched between Leesburg and Sterling which are crime nests. The criminals get their money by going where the money is.

LOL, "sandwiched"?????? Sterling is 14-15 miles from Lansdowne. That's one loosely packed sandwich!

This is a puzzling story. Why would someone commit a random murder on Riverside Parkway? It's a speed trap, just about any other jogging path would be a more likely site for a murder. I mean, come on--the Parkway often has cops around. It has newly planted trees that don't exactly provide coverage. You'd think someone wanting to commit a random murder would choose an easier spot like the National Conference Center. Lots of joggers there. Easy to hide, easy to cover your tracks, easy to get away.

The timing is odd, too. I can believe a gang initiation at 1:30 a.m.--but not 5:30 a.m. That doesn't fit with any of the gang stories I've heard. And 5:30 is a wierd time for a random murder, too. Think about it, 5:30 is ridiculously early for a murderer to go searching for a random jogger. It was a cold morning, you'd think a random murderer would have waited until 6:30 or so when it was more likely a jogger or two would be out.

To me it sounds like they were targeting a specific person who had a habit of jogging on that Parkway at that time. That would also explain why they dragged him across the Parkway and killed him--but left her on the other side alive. He was being targeted, she just happened to be with him. Just my opinion, but that's what I think.

Anyway, it's a sad, sad story. My prayers go out to the victims and their families. Meanwhile, I feel safe and have no intention of changing my habits. I'll be jogging near there tomorrow morning justlike always.