Suspect in murder plot turns self in

By Elisa Glushefski

Published: March 10, 2008

A 24-year-old Manassas man wanted in connection with a plot to kill a fellow gang member’s father turned himself in to Manassas City police headquarters late Monday morning, authorities said.

Robert Lee Williams, of 9053 McClellan Commons, turned himself in around 11:30 a.m., three days after police announced he was suspected to be one of several gang members solicited by a 16-year-old Osbourn High School student to break into his house and steal two guns to be used in the planned killing.

The warrants on file for Williams are: burglary, grand larceny, conspiracy to commit a felony, abduction, assault and battery, and destruction of property, said Sgt. Tim Neumann, Manassas police spokesman.

The last three, Neumann added, are unrelated to this case.

Investigators were interviewing Williams on Monday afternoon, Neumann said, adding that he did not know what charges would be placed against him.

The investigation that uncovered the murder plot initially started when the 16-year-old, whose name was not released because he is a minor, approached a school resource officer with his father last week and said he had been beaten as a part of a gang initiation.

The teen said he joined the gang for protection from rival gang members who broke into his home and stole two guns Feb. 27, police said.

An investigation by Detective D. Abbott revealed that the burglary was planned, Neumann said, and that the teen had allegedly been soliciting rival gang members for the planned murder over the last month.

The 16-year-old and another gang member of the same age were charged with solicitation and conspiracy to commit murder, Neumann said.

A 17-year-old gang member was charged with conspiracy to commit burglary, with a charge of conspiracy to commit murder pending, Neumann said.

In connection with the gang initiation, police arrested five juveniles whose ages ranged from 14 to 17, and 18-year-old Dwaynne Anthony Smith of 9712 Beech Place in Manassas, are all students at Osbourn High School.

The six alleged gang members were charged with gang participation, assault by mob, gang activity in a school zone and recruitment of a juvenile for criminal street gang. They are being held without bond pending court dates, police said.

The Northern Virginia Regional Gang Task Force, Prince William County/Manassas City/Manassas Park Vice and Narcotics Task Force, Prince William County police gang unit and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force assisted in the investigation.

Staff writer Elisa Glushefski can be reached at 703-878-8062 or .