By MARY ROSENTHOL
For Potomac Local News
MANASSAS, Va. — Richard D. Sword was scheduled to appear in Manassas District Court this morning. But he didn’t show.
He and his brother Jerry L. Sword were arrested on murder charges in early November after the burned body of Manassas resident Anthony Bailey was found in Old Town Manassas.
Today, instead of appearing in front of Judge William D. Hamblin and entering a plea, Sword was in Fairfax County Juvenile Court for lack of child support payment.
Several of Anthony Bailey’s family members sat in the courtroom waiting to see Sword receive his sentence. They expressed frustration at the poor handle of Bailey’s case and the lack of co-ordination between Fairfax County and Prince William County. One family member said it’s like Bailey just died again each time the case is back in court.
Judge Hamblin rescheduled the hearing for June 13 at 10 a.m. Bailey’s family members said they plan to be in attendance yet again waiting to see justice served.
The body of the 44-year-old victim, Anthony Bailey, was discovered in a vacant parking lot in the 9000 block of Church Street, near the Olde Towne Inn, shortly after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, October 30, 2012.
The Sword brothers were identified through investigation and later observed on security video putting Mr. Bailey into a van owned by Richard Sword, police said. Richard Sword was then seen on the video driving the van to the parking lot where Mr. Bailey’s body was later found, removing Bailey, and setting him on fire, police stated.
Instead of facing murder charges, the Sword brothers will be tried for improper disposal of human remains and are eligible for a $5,000 bond. If found guilty; both men could face up to five years in jail.
