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Edward James Jackson Bland, 36, stole a vehicle from a man at gunpoint around 12:45 a.m. on the 8100 block of Portwood Turn in Manassas, county police said.
Sometime before then, Bland is believed to have shot and killed Leann Harris, 34, and Asia Payne, 22, whose bodies were found in a nearby home hours later, when the stolen vehicle broke down near I-66 and I-81, authorities said.
Bland walked to a nearby convenience store where authorities were notified, and the vehicle he was driving was confirmed as stolen from Prince William County.
During the investigation, additional information was obtained, prompting police to perform a welfare check at an apartment on Porter Ridge Lane in Manassas. There, officers made several attempts for someone to answer the door and subsequently broke into the apartment where the two victims were found dead from gunshot wounds to the upper body, county police said.
Bland knew both victims, who also knew each other, police said.
Following the investigation, detectives obtained arrest warrants for Bland, who remains in custody in Shenandoah County. Detectives are continuing to investigate the incident to determine what led up to the shooting and are seeking to speak with anyone who has information to aid in the investigation.
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