Prince William

The Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney, Amy Ashworth, has announced the successful prosecution of Isaiah McGriff in connection with the July 2022 murder of a woman in Woodbridge. On March 12, 2024, a Prince William County jury found McGriff guilty of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The case, Commonwealth of Virginia v. Isaiah McGriff, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Commonwealth Attorneys Kathleen Bilton and Dircia Schubert.

On July 1, 2022, police responded to a shooting at 13990 Jefferson Davis Hwy (Longview 7-Eleven) in Prince William County, where they discovered the victim, Claudia Morataya, deceased from an apparent gunshot wound to the abdomen. An investigation revealed that Isaiah McGriff, the defendant, was present outside the 7-Eleven that night, along with the victim and others, drinking and socializing before the shooting occurred. A verbal dispute ensued between the victim and the defendant, culminating in the victim throwing a beer bottle at McGriff. McGriff was heard making threatening remarks before later shooting the victim in nearby woods, a press release notes.


Prince William

A Prince William County judge dropped a rape charge against a man accused of raping a 10-year-old girl in Dale City.

Prince William County Circuit Court Judge Carroll A. Weimer Jr. dropped the charge on March 6. The suspect, 40-year-old Bernabe Garcia of Woodbridge, was set to appear for a jury trial on the rape charge from March 18 to 21, 2024.


Features

Prince William County Circuit Court Clerk: On February 14, 2024, the Clerk of the Circuit Court, Jacqueline Smith, administered 23 wedding ceremonies at her 6th Annual Valentine’s Day Wedding Bash, hosted at the ARTfactory in downtown Manassas.

The location provided a unique and picturesque setting for couples to say, ‘I do.’ The building, a local creative arts hub, offered a modern-rustic setting for couples to exchange vows.


News

“The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth District has dismissed an appeal by a right-wing advocacy group ordered to stop distributing false, threatening, and misleading mailers prior to November’s election, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced Friday,” Insidenova.com reports.


News

The Prince William County Circuit Court Clerk: “Circuit Court Clerk Jacqueline Smith is planning civil celebrant weddings and vow renewals for her 6th Annual Valentine’s Day Bash. Couples can exchange vows in an intimate ceremony surrounded by friends and family on February 14, 2024, at the Art Factory, a contemporary art hub located in the refurbished historic Hopkins Candy Factory building in downtown Manassas, Virginia.”

“Every year, Clerk Smith hosts a Valentine’s Day Bash to provide couples with special civil celebrant ceremonies. The Bash is intended to be a full day of elegant courthouse-style weddings and vow renewals. Clerk Smith’s annual Valentine’s Day Bash brings together couples and the community to celebrate love.”


Prince William

Prince William County Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney: “Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth announces the successful prosecution of Jacob Belotti arising from the February 2018 death of Dustin Lueker in Haymarket, Virginia. Mr. Belotti pled not guilty to three charges and after a three-day jury trial, was convicted of Felony Murder and Distribution of a Schedule I/II Controlled Substance.”

“On the afternoon of Sunday, February 25, 2018, Prince William County Fire and Rescue and Police responded to Youngs Drive in Haymarket for a 911 call regarding an unresponsive individual. Dustin Lueker was found dead on the living room floor of Mr. Belotti’s residence. Mr. Belotti claimed the two had consumed alcohol and gone to bed the day before and that when he awoke, his friend was dead. One eyewitness later came forward to challenge Mr. Belotti’s version of events and eventually police determined that multiple individuals had partied with Belotti and Lueker, initially at Mr. Lueker’s apartment and then at Mr. Belotti’s house.”


Schools

“The Supreme Court of Virginia on Thursday reversed a lower court’s decision by reinstating a lawsuit brought by a former West Point High School teacher after he was fired for refusing to refer to a transgender student by his requested pronouns,” reports the Virginia Mercury.


Prince William

Six U.S. military veterans graduated from the Prince William County Circuit Court Veterans Docket.

This article is exclusively for our Locals Only members. Please Sign In or upgrade to become a Locals Only Member today!

Your support helps us continue delivering more in-depth community news that matters to you. Thank you.


Politics

Prince William Times: “A former Prince William County elections chief is no longer facing felony charges related to alleged corruption and lying in connection with her duties during the 2020 election, according a court filing.”

“Former Prince William County general registrar Michele White, 52, still faces one misdemeanor count of neglect of duty by an election officer, the only charge that remains from her September 2022 grand jury indictment, according to court records.”


View More Stories