Front Royal juvenile charged with murder of college student following altercation

Leah Adams, who died Saturday following an altercation with a 17-year-old Front Royal male. Photo/ Leah Adam’s Facebook page.

FRONT ROYAL – A 19-year-old woman is dead and a 17-year-old male has been charged with Second Degree Murder in a Saturday night (March 25) incident on Kerfoot Avenue in Front Royal.  Leah Marie Adams was discovered with life-threatening injuries when Front Royal Police responded to a report of a possible hit and run on the 100 block of Kerfoot Avenue at 8:34 p.m.  After being treated by EMS units at the scene she was transported to Warren Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

According to an FRPD press release, “While responding to this incident, police also received a call for a reported attempted burglary one block away in the 100 block of S. Shenandoah Avenue … Simultaneously, officers arrived to the secondary call and encountered a 17-year-old male juvenile with minor injuries. The juvenile was detained and transported to Warren Memorial Hospital.”

Crash investigators and criminal detectives were called to both scenes, according to the written statement.  “Ms. Adams’ vehicle was located within the proximity of both incidents. The vehicle was found to have sustained some damage. Further investigation revealed that Ms. Adams sustained life-ending injuries that were not consistent with trauma sustained as the result of a vehicle crash or a hit- and-run incident.  Additional information was received and corroborated that Ms. Adams and the male juvenile had been in some type of physical confrontation in the roadway just prior to police being called.”

According to the press release, the juvenile has been charged with violation of Virginia Code 18.2-32; 2nd Degree Murder. The charge is a Class 2 felony and carries a potential incarceration of five to forty years in prison if convicted. The 17-year old is currently being held without bond at the Northwestern Regional Juvenile Detention Center.

Captain Ryman said in a telephone interview that numerous additional charges may be placed pending further consultation with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, as well as results from the official autopsy report from the Medical Examiner’s Office.

As this is an open, on-going homicide investigation, Captain Ryman said no additional information would be released.  Anyone who may have information about the case is asked to contact Detective David Fogle at 540-636-2208 or by email at dfogle@frontroyalva.com.

Ms. Adams, a 2016 graduate of James Wood High School in Frederick County, Va., was a student at Lord Fairfax Community College in Middletown, majoring in Business,and was also working on an internship at Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

LFCC spokesperson Sally Voth said, in a statement Sunday,  “We at LFCC are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of one of our students, and offer our condolences to Ms. Adams’s family, friends and fellow students.”

Rumors have been circulating on Facebook and throughout the community about the manner in which Ms. Adams died, including that she was dragged behind a vehicle.  Officials assert that information is false, and the family is asking that the public respect their privacy and wait for the facts to be released.

Robert Adams, Leah’s father, wrote Sunday afternoon, in a Facebook post: “Thank you for your thoughts and prayers but please know that half of what people are writing about on here about what happen (sic) is false. Please wait for official reports to come out, as there is still a lot to be answered.  We love our daughter and her life was taken to (sic) early from us.”

Anyone who may have information pertaining to the case may contact Detective David Fogle at 540-636-2208 or by email at dfogle@frontroyalva.com.