A Prince William County jury has found Edward Jackson Bland, 38, guilty in the 2024 killings of Leann Harris and Asia Payne, one of whom was pregnant at the time of her death. The verdict was delivered on December 11, following a trial in Prince William County Circuit Court.
Bland was convicted of multiple charges, including two counts of aggravated murder, second-degree murder, carjacking, and three firearm-related felonies. His sentencing is scheduled for June 4, 2026, according to Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth.
The case began on April 2, 2024, when police responded to a reported carjacking at a Manassas apartment complex. During the investigation, Shenandoah County deputies contacted local officers after Bland allegedly confessed to killing two people. Officers later found Harris and Payne deceased in an apartment, each with a gunshot wound to the head.
Ashworth called the killings a “horrible and senseless crime” and thanked the victims’ families for their patience throughout the legal process. She also recognized the work of local law enforcement and Victim Witness Case Managers Celina Cary and Arturo Guzman.
