Two cold cases in Northern Virginia — one in Fairfax County and one in Arlington — are receiving renewed attention. Local detectives are asking for help as they continue to search for answers in the unsolved cases.
2021 Groveton Murder of Ronald Worthy, Jr.
Fairfax County Police are asking for the public’s help in solving a 2021 murder in Groveton.
On July 27, 2021, officers found Ronald Worthy, Jr., 19, of Alexandria dead in an apartment at the 3100 block of Southgate Drive in Groveton. He died from gunshot wounds to the upper body.
Worthy had just finished his freshman year of college at Virginia State University and was spending the summer with his grandmother in the Beacon Hill apartments, NBC4 Washington reported.
Worthy had last been seen by a family member the morning before he was found. Several community members said they heard gunshots, but the police did not receive any calls about them.
The apartment showed no signs of forced entry. Police said they did not believe it was a random act of violence. There were cartridge cases inside the apartment.
Four years later, detectives are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 2. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone at 866-411-8477 and online.
1991 Arlington Murder of Sandra Burt Carrera
Dateline reported last week on the 1991 shooting death of Sandra Burt Carrera, 41. Thirty-five years after her death, the case still remains unsolved.
Carrera was living in Arlington and had an 11-year-old son, Alex. She had spoken on the phone the morning of January 15 with her sister, Suanne, and the two planned to talk again at about 2 p.m. But, Suanne told Dateline, Sandra never called. Alex called Suanne at about 6 p.m. — he had entered the house and found his mother’s body.
Carrera had three gunshot wounds in her head. Arlington County police said the home had not been disturbed, and nothing was taken. The weapon has not been located.
“The biggest problems were there were no witnesses, there’s no clear motive, and they never had a weapon,” Suanne told Dateline.
Anyone with information can contact Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 866-411-8477.
Read more about the work of Northern Virginia’s cold case detectives and other unsolved cases from the region.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
