A Washington, D.C., man arrested in connection with the murders of women in Charlottesville and Harrisonburg is now being looked at in a string of additional murders.
Anthony Robinson, 35, has been linked to the murder of Cheyenne Brown, 29, of Washington, D.C., whose body was found near the Moon Inn Hotel in Fairfax County on Wednesday along with the remains of another person whose identity could not be verified.
Robinson has been in jail on first-degree murder charges in the deaths of Allene Elizabeth “Beth” Redmon, 54, of Harrisonburg and Tonita Lorice Smith, 39, of Charlottesville, whose bodies were found in the area of Linda Lane in Harrisonburg last month.
Harrisonburg Police and Charlottesville Police were conducting two separate missing persons investigations that had resulted in narrowing the focus of their search for Redmon and Smith to an area near Linda Lane. The bodies of both women were discovered by detectives from Harrisonburg Police Department’s Major Crimes Unit in an undeveloped lot off Linda Lane within a short distance of each other, though their deaths took place at different times.
Detectives in D.C. got a break in the Cheyenne Brown case when they received information that Robinson had been seen with her before she had been reported missing.
The trail led them to the hotel in Fairfax County, whose PD sent detectives to Harrisonburg to gather additional details about the link between their homicide investigation and Brown. Through additional investigation, detectives found video surveillance from Sept. 30 at the Huntington Metro that confirmed the suspect and the victim were together the last time she was seen.
On Wednesday, detectives received new information that led them back to the Moon Inn Hotel to expand their search. A detective observed a shopping cart in a nearby wood line. Recognizing the suspect in the Harrisonburg cases used a shopping cart to transport his victims, the detectives conducted a further examination of the area.
Near the shopping cart, the detective found a container. Inside the container, the detective discovered what he believed to be human remains. The Office of the Medical Examiner and an anthropologist from George Mason responded to the scene and confirmed the remains to be human.
The container was taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner, where two bodies were discovered. Detectives tentatively identified one of the women in the container as Brown. This tentative identification was made from a distinct tattoo that Brown had on her body.
Positive identification of Ms. Brown and identification of the second victim is pending further DNA analysis.
Detectives determined that Robinson had been communicating with the victim through a dating website prior to her disappearance, and they believe Robinson is responsible for the death of Brown and the unidentified victim.
Detectives in Fairfax County are continuing to follow additional leads and would like to hear from anyone who may have information about Robinson, this case, or may have had past interactions with Robinson.
To contact detectives, call the Fairfax PD Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 2. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), by text – Type “FCCS” plus tip to 847411, and by web – Click here. Download the Mobile tip411 App Fairfax Co Crime Solvers.
Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards of $100 to $1,000 dollars if their information leads to an arrest.
Victim specialists from our Major Crimes Bureau’s Victim Services Division have been assigned to ensure that the victim’s family is receiving appropriate resources and assistance.
Story by Chris Graham
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