John Harding Pope, a 57-year-old man, was shot and killed in his home at the Mayflower Square apartment complex in the 5900 block of Quantrell Avenue in Alexandria, Virginia, on September 30, 2020. Responding to a call of a possible shooting around 3:50 p.m., police found Pope with an upper body injury. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Pope lived in the apartment with his 77-year-old mother.
Neighbors described him as a positive presence in the building.
The investigation into Pope's death, which was the second homicide in Alexandria that year, quickly led to a suspect. On Sunday, October 4, 2020, Alexandria Police arrested 19-year-old Tavon Marquis Lanier, also of Alexandria. Lanier was initially charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Neighbors had reported seeing a light-skinned young man with tattoos on his face in the vicinity.
Subsequent legal proceedings revealed more details about the motive and Lanier's criminal history. The investigation indicated that Lanier shot Pope while attempting to steal his lawfully prescribed prescription drugs. After the shooting, Lanier took the drugs and fled the scene. It was also reported that just eight days before the murder, Lanier had been arrested for allegedly breaking into his girlfriend's apartment, stalking, and threatening her, but was released on bond.
In April 2021, a grand jury indicted Lanier on several charges, including first-degree murder, robbery, and illegal possession of a firearm. On June 30, 2022, Tavon Marquis Lanier, then 21, was sentenced for his convictions of second-degree murder, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, grand larceny, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He received a sentence of 73 years in prison, with all but 20 years suspended. Upon his release, Lanier will be on supervised probation for 10 years.
