Crime & Safety
Woodbridge Triple Murder Suspect Arrested In El Salvador: Police
A man was arrested in El Salvador on Monday in connection with a triple homicide in Woodbridge in May 2023. He is now awaiting extradition.
![A man was arrested in El Salvador on Monday in connection with a triple homicide in Woodbridge in May 2023.](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/24771377/20240123/125234/styles/patch_image/public/patch-ed-prince-william-county-police-va-hand-2019-1___23124701397.jpg)
WOODBRIDGE, VA — A man wanted in connection with a Woodbridge triple homicide was arrested in El Salvador on Monday, the Prince William County Police Department said.
Authorities identified the victims as Edwin Geovanny Salmeron, 37; Luis Alonzo Salgado-Rivas, 41, and Kevin Josue Vallecillo Mendoza, 23, all from Woodbridge.
Investigators identified the suspect as 28-year-old Donald Antonio Barahona Quinonez. He is charged with three counts of murder, one count of aggravated malicious wounding, four counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony, and four counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling.
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If convicted of all charges, Barahona Quinonez could spend the rest of his life in prison, based on Virginia's sentencing guidelines.
The shooting happened about 2:30 p.m. on May 26, 2023, police said, at a home on the 14700 block of Birchdale Avenue, police said.
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Investigators learned there was a gathering in the home when one of the attendees brandished a firearm and began firing, hitting four men. Other people who were present ran from the house after the shooting, including the suspected shooter, police said.
Officers arrived and found Salmeron dead outside the house, and three other men injured inside the house, police said. Officers provided first aid to the victims until fire and rescue personnel arrived at the scene.
Salgado-Rivas died at an area hospital later that day, and Vallecillo Mendoza died of his injuries the following day, police said.
The fourth man, a 21-year-old, was hospitalized and survived, police said.
There were no additional injuries or other property damage reported, police said.
"This incident does not appear to be random," Prince William County police said after the shooting.
On Tuesday, police officials notes that they are working with El Salvador and federal officials to extradite Barahona Quinonez back to Virginia for trial.
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