Virginia police say ‘shopping cart killer’ behind 4 slayings

Virginia police say a man in custody is believed to be responsible for killing at least four people in northern Virginia and could be connected to more slayings.

Anthony Robinson, 35, of Washington, D.C., was arrested Nov. 23 and charged with two counts of first-degree murder after two women’s bodies were found in an open lot in Harrisonburg, Va., located about 2.5 hours from D.C.

A third victim — who police said has been preliminarily identified by her family as Cheyenne Brown — was found near the Moon Inn in Fairfax County, closer to D.C., along with another potential fourth victim, according to authorities.

Police have dubbed the suspect the “Shopping Cart Killer,” saying they believe Robinson used a shopping cart to allegedly transport the bodies of the victims at both locations.

“He meets his victims on dating sites, he meets his victims then at motels … After he inflicts trauma to his victims and kills them, he transports their bodies to a final resting place, literally in a shopping cart,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said during a news conference on Friday. 

Officials said they are still working to identify some of the victims and are searching for others that Robinson was potentially in contact with before being arrested.

Major Edward O’Carroll of the Crimes, Cyber and Forensics unit in Fairfax said he connected with D.C. police on Dec. 7 to assist with locating Brown, who went missing on Sept. 30 after taking the metro from D.C. to Huntington, Va.

Police said they obtained a search warrant for cellular data and determined Brown and Robinson were at the same location in Huntington on the night of Sept. 30.

On Dec. 15, detectives found a shopping cart in the woods, not far from the Moon Inn. Police said detectives looked inside a nearby container and found human remains believed to be of Brown and another victim.

Robinson was arrested in late November based on video surveillance and cellphone records, according to Harrisonburg police, and is being held at a jail in Rockingham County.

Davis said the phrase “serial killer” is one he has “used sparingly in my three decades in this profession.”

“Our Shopping Cart Killer does unspeakable things with his victims,” Davis said. “It’s our collective duty and responsibility to bring justice and closure to all of our communities.”

“He’s a predator,” Davis added. “We suspect he has more victims.”

The women killed in Harrisonburg, a city located in the Shenandoah Valley, have been identified as 54-year-old Allene Elizabeth Redmon and 39-year-old Tonita Smith.

The Hill has reached out to a lawyer for Robinson for comment.

“This department, the Harrisonburg Police Department and all the agencies mentioned, are absolutely committed. Justice will prevail and the offender will be held accountable for what he did,” O’Carroll said. 

The Fairfax Police Department is working with the Harrisonburg Police Department and the Metropolitan Police Department in D.C. as it continues investigating.

Updated 6:07 p.m.