On the night of December 22, 2020, in Woodbridge, Virginia, a tragic series of events unfolded that resulted in the death of 22-year-old Matthew Joseph Costanzo. The incident, which took place in the parking lot of the Tackett's Mill shopping center, stemmed from a prearranged drug transaction that turned violent.
Costanzo, along with an 18-year-old female companion and another man, had arrived at the shopping center to meet with two other individuals. These men were later identified as Daquil Raheem Smith, 19, and Taron Thomas. The purpose of their meeting was a marijuana deal. However, the exchange escalated into a robbery and a fatal shooting. Both Smith and Thomas opened fire on the vehicle occupied by Costanzo and his companions.
In the hail of bullets, Matthew Costanzo was struck multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. His female companion was also shot but survived her injuries. The third individual in their vehicle was unharmed. Following the shooting, Smith and Thomas fled the scene on foot. An extensive search of the area was conducted by Prince William County Police, with the assistance of a K-9 unit and a Fairfax County Police helicopter. Smith was located nearby and taken into custody without incident.
The subsequent investigation led to the arrest of both Smith and Taron Thomas. In September 2021, Daquil Raheem Smith was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. In August 2022, Taron Thomas was convicted of second-degree murder, aggravated malicious wounding, two counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted robbery, and felony homicide.
