The man charged with two counts of murder and carjacking admitted shooting and killing two women in a Manassas apartment last week, according to charging documents obtained by WTOP.
Edward James Jackson Bland, 36, is charged in Prince William County District Court with two counts of second-degree murder, carjacking, and three counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, in paraphrasing discussions with Jackson Bland, investigators wrote that Jackson Bland “told deputies that he had killed two people in Manassas,” and that “it was a robbery — they had to die.”
Court documents do not describe any specifics of a robbery.
Jackson Bland is charged with murdering 34-year-old Leann Renee Harris and 22-year-old Asia Payne. Both had been shot to death.
Shortly after the shooting, Jackson Bland allegedly stole a man’s Toyota Camry at gunpoint a few blocks from where the women’s bodies were found.
Several hours after details about the stolen car were entered into the National Crime Information Center/Virginia Criminal Information Network database, investigators said the stolen Toyota broke down in the area of Interstate 66 and Interstate 81.
“The vehicle was located on Stoney Creek Road, in Edinburg, just west of I-81,” Maj. Kolter Stroop, with the Shenandoah County Sheriff’s Office, told WTOP on the day of Jackson Bland’s arrest. Stroop said Jackson Bland entered a convenience store “at the Shell station on Stoney Creek Road.”
The newly released affidavit said Jackson Bland “told the clerk to dial 911, because he was wanted.”
Before he was arrested last week, Jackson Bland had failed to appear in court in May on drug charges and driving while intoxicated, according to court records.
He also is charged with two misdemeanor counts of assault and battery of a family member.
Jackson Bland was initially expected to be arraigned Monday, but that has been rescheduled to Tuesday.
It’s not clear whether Jackson Bland has secured an attorney. WTOP has reached out to a defense attorney who has represented him in the past.
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