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JUST IN: Jury finds Alexandria man guilty of manslaughter in West End shooting

Published May 26, 2026 at 2:05PM | Updated May 26, 2026 at 2:33PM

The Franklin P. Backus Courthouse in Old Town, Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

A jury has found Damontie Earl James guilty of voluntary manslaughter when he shot and killed his former roommate Kory Anding in an apartment in Alexandria’s West End.

James, 27, has been held without bond since his arrest following the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Kory Anding at James’ sister’s apartment at 3450 Berkeley Street on Oct. 25, 2025. Anding was the father of two children with James’ sister. James claimed he shot Anding in self-defense. James was also found guilty of unlawful shooting in an occupied building and not guilty of using a firearm in the commission of a murder.

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NEW: Alexandria man claims self-defense in fatal West End apartment shooting

By James Cullum

Published May 22, 2026 at 11:15AM | Updated May 22, 2026 at 5:26PM

A male was shot in an apartment at 3450 Berkeley Street on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

This story has been updated to provide the latest timeline on the jury verdict.

A 27-year-old Alexandria man charged with first-degree murder in the death of his former roommate has pleaded not guilty and now awaits a jury’s verdict.

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Alexandria man claims ‘wrong house’ after alleged break-in at co-worker’s relatives’ home

By James Cullum

Published May 21, 2026 at 1:45PM

Alexandria Police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)

An Alexandria man faces illegal entry and public intoxication charges after allegedly breaking into the Seminary Hill home of a co-worker’s relatives, rummaging around and stealing clothing, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

On April 9, the homeowners provided police with video surveillance showing the suspect entering the home in the 200 block of N. Quaker Lane, as well as audio of him allegedly opening kitchen cabinets, according to the affidavit. The suspect was arrested less than a mile away on a public intoxication charge, a Class 4 misdemeanor with a $250 fine. He was later charged with entering a property to damage, a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.

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Virginia Supreme Court hears challenge to voter-approved redistricting amendment

By Emily Leayman and The Associated Press

Published April 27, 2026 at 11:45AM

Signs at Mount Vernon Recreation Center in Del Ray on Election Day, April 21, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Virginia Supreme Court judges on Monday questioned whether the state’s Democratic-led legislature complied with constitutional requirements when it sent a congressional redistricting plan to voters, in a case that carries high stakes for the balance of power in the U.S. House.

A Republican challenge to the redistricting plan, which could net Democrats four additional seats and won narrow voter approval last week, contends that the General Assembly violated procedural rules by placing the constitutional amendment before voters to authorize mid-decade redistricting. If the court agrees that lawmakers broke the rules, it could invalidate the amendment and render last week’s statewide vote meaningless.

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Two men charged after woman fights off armed robbery attempt in Braddock neighborhood

By James Cullum

Published April 22, 2026 at 2:45PM

Alexandria Police Department cruisers on Nov. 7, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A D.C. man and an Alexandria man are facing multiple charges after an attempted armed robbery in Alexandria’s Braddock neighborhood, according to a recently released search warrant affidavit.

The victim reported to the Alexandria Police Department that on Sunday, March 8, masked men assaulted her and attempted to rob her. The victim told police she was in her car in the 1200 block of Wythe Street when she was approached by two men wearing masks, and that one of them “grabbed her by the throat and told her to pay her $30 that she owed him,” according to the affidavit.

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City Council to hold public hearings on Sunday parking fees, more budget decisions

By James Cullum

Published April 17, 2026 at 3:45PM

An Alexandria parking enforcement vehicle (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria City Council has a full docket at its upcoming meeting Saturday as final budgetary decisions approach.

City Council will conduct a number of public hearings, including setting the real estate and personal property tax rates for the next fiscal year, additions and deletions to City Manager Jim Parajon’s proposed $977 million Fiscal Year 2027 budget, an increase to the stormwater utility fee, new parking fees and the addition of paid metered parking on Sundays.

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NEW: Alexandria woman pleads guilty to stealing $22K from member of Congress

By James Cullum

Published March 31, 2026 at 1:15PM

The Albert V. Bryan United States Courthouse in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

An Alexandria woman pleaded guilty today (Tuesday) in federal court for stealing more than $22,000 from her former employer, a member of Congress.

Courtney Melissa Hruska, 40, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, a felony with a maximum term of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

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No deed fraud incidents reported in Alexandria as Clerk of Court launches alert system

By James Cullum

Published March 24, 2026 at 11:15AM

Clerk of the Circuit Court Greg Parks speaks at the City Council installation at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and Arts Center, Jan. 2, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A new Alexandria program seeks to combat deed fraud by alerting property owners about new filings for their properties.

Alexandria Clerk of Circuit Court Greg Parks launched the VADeed Alert system last week to help protect property owners from deed fraud. Notifications are emailed to property owners when documents are filed in Alexandria land records.

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Man receives 1-year sentence for assaults outside Alexandria Metro stations

By James Cullum

Published March 23, 2026 at 2:30PM

The Franklin P. Backus Courthouse at 520 King Street in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

A Fairfax County man has been sentenced to one year in the city jail for the assaults of two women near Alexandria Metro stations last year, according to the Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

Alexandria Circuit Court Judge Lisa Kemler sentenced 36-year-old Jeffrey Gary on Friday (March 20) to 10 years in jail, with all but one year suspended. Gary previously pleaded guilty to two felony counts of abduction and one misdemeanor count of sexual battery for the assaults of two women outside the Braddock Road and Potomac Yard Metro stations on May 30, 2025. Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter had pushed for a five-year active sentence and was disappointed in Kemler’s decision.

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Police: Man who threatened Alexandria judges compared himself to Luigi Mangione

By James Cullum

Published March 19, 2026 at 11:45AM

The Franklin P. Backus Courthouse at 520 King Street in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

A Maryland man charged with threatening Alexandria judges and Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office staffers allegedly compared himself to Luigi Mangione — the man charged with the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — according to an Alexandria Police Department search warrant affidavit.

Lindolfo Pedraza has been held without bond since his Jan. 28 arrest at home in Allegany County, Md., and his case will head to a jury trial on Monday, April 13. The 53-year-old is accused of going to a judge’s home and sending threatening emails to two judges and deputy commonwealth’s attorneys involved in a 2021 case in which he lost custody of his son, according to the recently released search warrant affidavit.

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Landlord drops lawsuit against Del Ray beer garden owners

By James Cullum

Published March 13, 2026 at 3:15PM | Updated March 13, 2026 at 5:34PM

The Garden at 1503 Mount Vernon Avenue in Del Ray (staff photo by James Cullum)

The landlords of a popular beer garden in Del Ray have dropped their eviction lawsuit against their tenants.

Despite the win, Jeremy Barber and Justus Frank, the owners of The Garden (1503 Mount Vernon Avenue), are still suing their landlords at Twenty-Third Street Corridor LLC, and plan to go back to Alexandria Circuit Court in October.