Two men, 19 and 20, are arrested for shooting dead US Army colonel, 55, and his veteran wife, 63, 'at point blank range' outside their Virginia home
Cops arrested two men on Thursday for allegedly shooting a U.S. Army colonel and his veteran wife to death outside their Virginia home.
Ronnie Marshall, 20, and D'Angelo Strand, 19, have each been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of the use of a firearm in commission of a felony, Fairfax County Police Department officials said.
Edward McDaniel Jr., 55, and his wife Brenda McDaniel, 63, were gunned down outside of their home on the 8000 block of Flint Street in Springfield on Wednesday, officials said.
'We're here because two pillars of our community, of our country, really, we're gunned down viciously in their own front yard,' Kevin Davis, the department's chief of police, said.
Ronnie Marshall, 20, left, and D'Angelo Strand, 19, right, have each been charged with two counts of second-degree murder for the attack on Wednesday
Edward McDaniel Jr., 55, and his wife Brenda McDaniel, 63, were gunned down outside of their home on the 8000 block of Flint Street in Springfield
The arrests come after cops found a 2018 light-colored Nissan Altima with Maryland plate number 1EF1479 that they had been searching for, after it was believed to have been tied to the crime.
Earlier on Thursday, police took an unnamed third person of interest into custody after a local resident reported seeing the car.
'Thanks to the community, we got our offenders,' said Ed O'Carroll, commander of the department's major crimes bureau.
Army officials said Edward McDaniel Jr. has been a doctor of internal medicine with the military since June 1995 and was director of executive medicine at Ft. Belvoir Community Hospital, WRC-TV reported.
He held the rank of colonel and had received a number of awards and decorations through his distinguished career, including: Meritorious Service Medals, Army Commendation Medals, an Army Achievement Medal, and the Combat Medic Badge among other awards and ribbons.
Cops said they were searching for a 2018 light-colored Nissan Altima with Maryland plate number 1EF1479
Matt Leonard, an Army Spokesperson. told DailyMail.com that Brenda McDaniel served as a Medical-Surgical Nurse in the Army from September 1983 to September 2009, when she retired - also at the rank of colonel.
He said Col. Brenda McDaniel's awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, five Meritorious Service Medal, a Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Army Commendation Medal, and an Army Achievement Medal, among other awards.
'We've lost two brave, dedicated, life-long servants to our country,' Davis said on Thursday.
'Two full colonels were murdered in a residential neighborhood community.'
Dispatchers received a 911 call reporting someone breaking into the home around 9.20am and officers arrived within two minutes after the call was placed, Davis said.
'When they arrived, they did locate two people shot in their front yard. Officers heroically gave first aid to those that were shot in the front yard,' he said.
Both of them were declared dead at the scene by rescue personnel from multiple gunshot wounds. Cops said that at least one other family member was inside the home at the time of the shooting.
Davis told WTTG that the couple was shot at a 'point-blank' range and indicated that the potential suspect, or suspects, are known to a relative of the two victims.
O'Carroll said during the press conference that officers had responded to the same home on Monday for a dispute and potential burglary and that he believes the two incidents are related.
An aerial view shows the police response outside of the home where the McDaniels were shot
Cops said that the couple was shot at a 'point-blank' range and indicated that the potential suspect, or suspects, are known to a relative of the two victims
Officials said officers had responded to the same home on Monday for a dispute and potential burglary and that he believes the two incidents are related
Both of them were declared dead at the scene by rescue personnel from multiple gunshot wounds
A dispatcher for that incident could be heard telling responding officers that the caller and her husband were upstairs with a shotgun while 'the subject' was in the basemen, WRC-TV reported.
'Caller is advising the subject is after her son and that he is with them upstairs,' the dispatcher said.
The police department has reached out to other law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Capital region for assistance in the murder case.
The U.S. Marshall's Service had offered a $10.000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspect or suspects.
Officials said that the department received an outpouring of tips throughout the day, which has helped them identify the vehicle that was seen fleeing the home after the shooting.
