Virginia Man Arrested in Suspicious Death Near Linden

A Verona man is in custody and charged with murder following a suspicious death Thursday night east of Linden, according to the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office.

Jose Valesquez Martinez, 27, was arrested Sunday morning at a hotel in Front Royal without incident. He is charged with murder and malicious wounding in connection to the death of Brandon Probst, 29, of Stuarts Draft (below). 

Courtesy photo.

Jose Valesquez Martinez, 27, was arrested without incident on Sunday morning at a hotel in Front Royal. He is charged with murder and malicious wounding in connection to the death of Brandon Probst, 29, of Stuarts Draft.

The case began Thursday at approximately 9:50 p.m., when dispatchers received a 911 call from a resident in the 13000 block of John Marshall Highway, just outside Linden. The caller told authorities she found an injured man—later identified as Probst—inside her home. She reportedly did not know the man, according to sheriff’s office spokesperson Jeffrey Long.

Deputies arrived on the scene and immediately provided first aid until EMS crews transported Probst to Winchester Medical Center, where he later died. Authorities described his injuries only as “obvious trauma” but did not release further details.

Investigators initially labeled the death as “suspicious” and spent several hours collecting evidence at the Linden residence. Their investigation then led them to Augusta County, where they gathered key information identifying Martinez as a suspect.

The coordinated effort between the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office and the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office resulted in Martinez’s arrest in Front Royal. He has been transported to the Fauquier County Adult Detention Center.

Sheriff Jeremy Falls praised the collaboration between law enforcement agencies, stating, “I am appreciative of the hard work demonstrated by our detectives and the collaboration with the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Smith.”

Authorities have not released a possible motive or details about the connection between Martinez and Probst. Both Verona and Stuarts Draft, where the suspect and victim are from, are located near Staunton, Virginia.

The investigation remains active, and anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office detectives at 540-422-8650.