In the early morning hours of November 25, 2016, a Thanksgiving celebration in Manassas, Virginia, ended in tragedy. Jose Tomas Velasquez, a 44-year-old man, was leaving the gathering when a confrontation erupted. The dispute quickly escalated, and Velasquez was shot twice in the abdomen. He was rushed to a local hospital, but succumbed to his injuries and passed away. At the time, Manassas City Police Chief Douglas W. Keen described Velasquez as a 'hard worker' who 'contributed to this community and was well known.'
The investigation into the shooting led police to a vehicle that was also linked to a crime in Culpeper, Virginia. This connection proved crucial in identifying the individuals involved in the altercation with Velasquez. Within a week of the fatal shooting, three suspects were taken into custody.
The first to be arrested was 18-year-old Daiquan Lamar Thompson of Centreville, who was charged with second-degree murder. He was also facing a robbery charge in an unrelated incident. Following Thompson's arrest, authorities apprehended 21-year-old Bobby Lewis Thomas of Manassas. Thomas was charged with being an accessory after the fact to second-degree murder. The third and final suspect, 18-year-old Desmond Cordell Woodson of Manassas Park, was also charged with second-degree murder. Police stated that Velasquez had gotten into a confrontation with two of the three men before they fled the scene in a vehicle.
