In the autumn of 2024, the life of 18-year-old Alexander Ariel Pavon-Rios was tragically cut short in Washington, D.C. A male who had been reported missing on Halloween after last being seen on October 27th, his story took a grim turn when his remains were discovered. On the morning of November 8, 2024, shortly before 7 a.m., an employee of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority made a startling discovery in a wooded area in the 2600 block of Dunbar Road, Southeast.
The body, found in an advanced state of decomposition, was soon identified as the missing teenager from Northwest, D.C.
The subsequent investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department quickly determined that this was no accident. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy and revealed that Alexander Pavon-Rios had died from multiple gunshot wounds. His death was officially ruled a homicide, launching an intensive search for those responsible for this violent act. Detectives began piecing together the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death, offering a reward of up to $25,000 for any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved.
Months later, the investigation yielded significant breakthroughs. In March of 2025, the first arrests were made in connection with the murder. On March 16, police took 25-year-old Miguel Antonio Hernandez-Orantes of Northeast D.C. into custody. Just two days later, on March 18, 29-year-old Antonio Benahias Morales of Capitol Heights, Maryland, was also apprehended. The pursuit of justice did not end there. On September 16, 2025, a third suspect, 21-year-old Angel Manfredi Campos-Melendez of Morningside, Maryland, was arrested. All three men were subsequently charged with first-degree murder while armed, bringing some measure of progress to a case that had left a family and community seeking answers.
