UPDATE:Three men charged in murder, robbery at Popeyes

By Elisa Glushefski

Published: April 11, 2008

By ELISA A. GLUSHEFSKI

A month had passed since Keith J. Truesdale was fatally shot while working at a local fast food restaurant and his partner was beginning to lose hope that the case would ever be closed.

"At first it was the hot thing on TV and everybody was talking about it. But as days continued to go on, you didn't hear about it anymore," his partner, 21-year-old Darius Cooke, said by phone Friday.

And with no news coming from police on the status of the case, Cooke said his hope was fading.

Roughly two months after that doubt began to set in, Prince William police have made three arrests in connection with the slaying of Truesdale, a Popeyes restaurant manager who was shot dead during a robbery Jan. 22 at the fast food chain, authorities said Friday.

Investigators got a tip late Thursday night, leading them to the three suspects: Daniel Lipscomb, 26, of 16028 Car-roll Ave. in Woodbridge; Andre Williams, 21, of 4721 Kellogg Drive in Dale City; and James William Carolina, 19, of 2923 Wren Court near Dumfries, said Officer Erika Hernandez, police spokeswoman.  Lipscomb was already in the Prince William-Manassas regional jail on unrelated charges.

Each has been charged with murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and attempted robbery, Hernan-dez said.

The surveillance video from the botched robbery that police posted on the internet two weeks ago may have helped generate the lead that broke the case, Hernandez said.

Cooke, who shared an apartment with Truesdale on Tassleford Lane in Woodbridge, said the arrests have provided some peace to him and Truesdale's family and friends.

Prince William Commonwealth's Attorney Paul B. Ebert said his office is reviewing whether the charges would be elevated to capital offenses.

"It's a potential capital case, but we haven't made a decision on whether we're going to seek the death penalty," Ebert said.

On the night of Jan. 22, Truesdale, 23, was filling in as manager at the Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits at 13860 Smoketown Road in Woodbridge.

Around 11:05 p.m., two men, one armed with a knife and the other a handgun, entered the restaurant through an unlocked back door around 11:05 p.m.

The would-be robbers demanded money, police said. But when Truesdale couldn't unlock the safe, the gun-man fired one shot, striking Truesdale.

He later died at Potomac Hospital.

Williams was arrested by a patrol officer late Thursday night and Carolina taken into custody at his residence early Friday morning.

All three men are being held without bond at the adult detention center pending June 2 court hearings, police said.

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