In a quiet Sterling, Virginia neighborhood, the life of 52-year-old Steven Spradling, a male police officer with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, came to a violent end on the night of May 17, 2013. The tranquility of the suburban cul-de-sac was shattered by the sound of gunshots emanating from the Spradling residence on Blossom Drive, prompting a neighbor to alert the authorities.
When Loudoun County Sheriff's deputies arrived, they discovered Steven Spradling deceased inside his home.
The immediate investigation led to the arrest of his wife, 42-year-old Rosangela Spradling, who was taken into custody and subsequently charged with first-degree murder. The couple's two young children were present in the home at the time of the shooting but were unharmed. The incident was the culmination of what appeared to be a tumultuous relationship, with law enforcement having been called to the residence on numerous occasions for domestic disputes in the years leading up to the fatal shooting. Neighbors described Steven Spradling as a volatile and intimidating figure, with some expressing fear of him and detailing his aggressive behavior.
As the legal proceedings unfolded, a narrative of long-term domestic abuse emerged. Rosangela Spradling's defense painted a picture of a household fraught with tension and violence, alleging that she had been a victim of her husband's aggression, which was often fueled by alcohol. The investigation revealed that shortly before the shooting, a physical altercation had occurred where Steven Spradling was reportedly strangling his wife. The altercation was interrupted by their children entering the room, at which point Rosangela was able to break free, retrieve a firearm, and shoot her husband.
In October 2015, Rosangela Spradling entered an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter, shooting in the commission of a felony, and two counts of discharging a firearm in an occupied dwelling. An Alford plea allows a defendant to maintain their innocence while acknowledging that the prosecution has enough evidence to likely secure a conviction. This plea was part of an agreement that took into account the extensive history of domestic abuse. Following her plea, Rosangela Spradling was sentenced for her role in the death of her husband.
