Fairfax County police have charged a Fairfax man with murdering an Alexandria resident who’d been reported missing on Jan. 17. Now behind bars is 20-year-old Joel Antonio Sarabia. A 17-year-old alleged accomplice was also arrested in connection with the death of the victim, Ahmed Hasheem Ebrahim.
Joel Antonio Sarabia
According to police, Ebrahim, also 20, was last seen Jan. 15, leaving his home for a friend’s house. But when he didn’t return, a family member contacted police, and officers entered him as a missing person in the National Crime Information Center database.
During the subsequent investigation, police detectives from the Missing Persons Squad learned Ebrahim’s vehicle was towed Jan. 18 from a City of Alexandria address. When detectives arrived at the tow lot, they immediately noticed blood in the vehicle. Then, based on the vehicle’s condition and evidence found inside it, they upgraded Ebrahim to a critical missing person.
Next, say police, detectives discovered on Jan. 20 that Sarabia had allegedly been driving the victim’s vehicle after his reported disappearance. So they obtained an arrest warrant charging him with unauthorized use of a vehicle and driving without an operator’s license, based on the evidence recovered from the vehicle. On Jan. 24, detectives from the Fugitive Track and Apprehension Unit took Sarabia into custody.
Police say it was determined through interviews that Sarabia and Ebrahim knew each other. According to police, “Sarabia and a 17-year-old associate [reportedly] planned to rob Ebrahim on Jan. 16. Sarabia [allegedly] shot Ebrahim in the upper body while Ebrahim was in his vehicle in a parking lot near the 6200 block of Lachine Lane in Lincolnia. Sarabia and his associate then [reportedly] drove the victim in Ebrahim’s vehicle until they disposed of his body, later on Jan. 17, in a dumpster in the 3700 block of North Rosser Street.”
Police charged Sarabia with first-degree murder, robbery resulting in death, concealment of a dead body, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He’s currently being held without bond in the Adult Detention Center and has a March 14 court date. Police also noted that, during Sarabia’s arrest, “Detectives recovered a firearm and are coordinating additional searches for a second firearm believed to be in the City of Alexandria.”
The 17-year-old male was arrested Jan. 25 and charged with robbery resulting in death and concealment of a dead body. He’s being held in the Juvenile Detention Center.
Detectives identified the dumpster where the victim’s body was disposed. They’ve since contacted the disposal services company to determine the potential location where Ebrahim’s body may have been taken. Police have coordinated several searches with the Search and Rescue Team to locate him.
Meanwhile, detectives are asking anyone with additional information about this crime to contact them at 703-691-2131 or call 911. Tips may also be submitted anonymously via Crime Solvers by phoning 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477).