Robles Lopez Manuel (Courtesy of Prince William Police Department.)Prince William and the Officers with the U.S. Marshal have made four arrests in connection with the murder of a victim whose body was discovered inside a burning vehicle at Veteran's Park in Woodbridge.
"Detectives from the Homicide Unit have identified multiple suspects in connection to the ongoing homicide investigation after a body was discovered inside of a burning vehicle at Veterans Park in Woodbridge on March 15," said police spokesman Sgt. Jonathan Perok.
Law enforcement authorities have arrested three adult men and one male juvenile for their involvement in the victim’s apparent murder.
One of the adult men and the juvenile were arrested in Prince William County. The two remaining adult men were apprehended at a residence in Wilson, North Carolina by members of the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force.
"Based upon the information obtained in the investigation, detectives have preliminarily identified the victim. The Medical Examiner’s Office is currently conducting further DNA analysis to confirm this identity," Perok said.
The victim’s identity will be released once confirmed and a next-of-kin has been notified.
The cause of the victim’s death and the fire continue to be investigated by authorities.
This case remains a joint investigation with the Police Department’s Homicide Unit and the Department of Fire & Rescue, Fire Marshal’s Office. More information will be released when available. The investigation continues.
Arrests:
Manuel Enrique Robles Lopez, 21, of Claremont Street in Manassas, was arrested on March 16 and charged with murder – accessory after the fact. His Court Date is pending. He is being held without bond.
A 17-year-old male of Woodbridge was arrested on March 17. He was charged with murder. His court date is pending. He is being held at the Juvenile Detention Facility in Manassas.
Erick Alexander Contreras Navarro, 23, of Claremont Street in Manassas and Denis Ludwin Espinal Alvares, 19, of Livingston Road in Oxon Hill, Maryland were arrested on March 20. Both suspects above are charged with murder.
Their court dates are pending as they are awaiting extradition
"Anyone with information on this investigation is asked to contact the Prince William County Police Department at 703-792-7000 or by submitting a webtip at www.pwcgov.org/policetip."
Homicide Investigation *CASE RECLASSIFIED
On March 16, the body discovered inside of a burning vehicle at Veterans Park located at 14300 Veterans Drive in Woodbridge underwent an autopsy at the Medical Examiner’s Office in Manassas.
Based upon a further examination of the victim’s body and the preliminary investigation, police detectives and fire investigators are now investigating the victim’s manner of death as a homicide.
Due to the condition of the victim’s body, further DNA analysis will need to be completed to confirm an identity. The cause of the victim’s death and the fire continue to be investigated.
This case remains a joint investigation with the Police Department’s Homicide Unit and the Department of Fire & Rescue, Fire Marshal’s Office. More information will be released when available. The investigation continues.
Suspicious Death Investigation
On March 15 at 7:47 a.m., officers responded to assist the Department of Fire & Rescue at Veterans Park located at 14300 Veterans Dr in Woodbridge (22191) with a vehicle fire.
A citizen contacted the Public Safety Communications Center to report that a vehicle appeared to be on fire inside the park. Fire crews responded and located the vehicle fully engulfed.
When the fire was extinguished, fire crews located a body inside the vehicle and contacted police.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives from the Violent Crimes Bureau are currently investigating the cause of the victim’s death. The body was transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy.
The victim’s identity is not known at this time.
This incident is currently under investigation by Prince William County police detectives and investigators from the Department of Fire & Rescue, Fire Marshal’s Office. More information will be released when available. The investigation continues.
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