On a Sunday afternoon, May 21, 2023, a dispute between two men in Woodbridge, Virginia, turned fatal. Michael Eugene Hawkins III, a 25-year-old male, was outside the Misty Ridge Apartments on Lost Canyon Court when he became engaged in a verbal altercation with another man. The argument, which investigators believe stemmed from an ongoing dispute, escalated dramatically around 2:45 p.m. Both men drew firearms and exchanged gunfire. During the shootout, Hawkins was struck in the abdomen.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene and provided immediate first aid to Hawkins before rushing him to a local hospital. Despite their efforts, he succumbed to his injuries and passed away the following day, May 22, 2023. The other man involved in the confrontation fled the area immediately after the shooting, sparking a police investigation to identify and locate him.
Authorities soon identified the suspect as 34-year-old Jeffrey Donelle Hampton. A warrant was issued for his arrest on multiple charges, including murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and shooting into an occupied dwelling. For months, Hampton remained at large as law enforcement sought information from the public, at one point offering a reward of up to $10,000 for tips leading to his capture. He was described as a Black male, approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall, with a distinctive tattoo on his neck.
The search for the suspect concluded on September 27, 2023, when Jeffrey Donelle Hampton turned himself in to the police. He was arrested and is being held without bond at the Prince William County Adult Detention Center while awaiting his court date.
