Charges against two in February shooting death sent to grand jury

By Amanda Stewart

Published: May 8, 2008

The charges against two Gainesville residents accused in the shooting of a 20-year-old Manassas man at a house party earlier this year will go before a grand jury in Prince William Circuit Court, a judge ruled Thursday.

John Matthew Moran, 22, of 8574 Yearling Court, and Shannon Leigh Smerbeck, 20, of 4601 Tullamore Estates Road, are both charged with first-degree murder, shooting into an occupied dwelling and use of a firearm in com-mission of a felony for the Feb. 3 shooting of 20-year-old Joseph Christopher Page.

At a preliminary hearing Thursday, Prince William General District Court Judge Wenda K. Travers ruled that there is sufficient evidence to send those charges to the grand jury, who will consider them on June 2.

If the grand jury indicts them on those charges, trial dates will then be set in Prince William Circuit Court.

A third man charged in Page's death, Jose Obed Escobar, 20, of no fixed address, was indicted by the grand jury in March on charges of first-degree murder, shooting into an occupied dwelling and use of a firearm in commis-sion of a felony.  His trial is set for Oct. 27 in Prince William Circuit Court.

According to court testimony Thursday, Moran, Smerbeck and Escobar attended a party at a house in the 7500 block of Alleghany Road near Manassas Park on Feb. 3.

At some point, a fight broke out between Moran and other people at the party; Moran and Escobar were asked to leave, Prince William County Detective Brian Coady said.

Page was also at the party, but was not involved in the fight, police and witnesses said.

Moran and Escobar left with Smerbeck, who drove them to and from the party.

Soon after leaving, Moran noticed that his tooth had been chipped during the fight, according to court testi-mony.

"He realized his tooth was chipped and he was enraged," Coady testified.

Moran told Smerbeck to turn the car around and drive back to the party, Coady said.

Back at the party, Moran and Escobar got out of the car and went to the side of a house next door to the house host-ing the party, witnesses said.

There, Moran pulled out a gun, according to court testimony.

Escobar testified Thursday that he did not know Moran had a gun until he saw him pull it out.

Escobar said he told Moran not to shoot at the house.

"I told him not to shoot at them, to shoot in the air," Escobar said. "I couldn't stop him."

Escobar said Moran fired at least five shots before the pair ran back to Smerbeck's car.

At least one of the bullets hit Page, who was standing on the back porch at the time.

Page was transported to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries a few days later.

After the shooting, Moran and Escobar returned to Smerbeck's car.

Witnesses said the car then drove away at a high rate of speed.

Inside the car, Moran asked Escobar if he thought anyone got shot, Escobar said.

Escobar said he thought he saw someone get hit by one of the bullets.

Moran and Escobar later threw the gun in a Dumpster in Annandale, Escobar said.

The weapon was not recovered.

The charges against Moran and Smerbeck will go before the grand jury on June 2.

Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-878-8014 or .