In the quiet community of Stafford, Virginia, a tragic event unfolded on a summer morning, forever altering the lives of one family. On Sunday, July 21, 2019, Thomas Edward Ennis Jr., a 78-year-old male, died in his home located in the Clearview Mobile Home Park. His life was cut short in an act of violence that sent shockwaves through the neighborhood.
The circumstances of his death were particularly harrowing.
Authorities were alerted to the situation by a 911 call made by Brandon Cohen, the 24-year-old grandson of Ennis Jr.. In a chilling confession to the dispatcher, Cohen stated that he had shot and killed his grandfather. When deputies from the Stafford County Sheriff's Office arrived at the residence on Clearview Lane, they found Thomas Edward Ennis Jr. unresponsive, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following his call to emergency services, Brandon Cohen was taken into custody by law enforcement. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder in the death of his grandfather. Cohen was held without bond at a local jail as the investigation into the motive and the events leading up to the fatal shooting continued. The incident left the community and the Ennis family grappling with the devastating loss of a beloved patriarch at the hands of his own grandson.
