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A Sierra Leonean national, Abdul Jalloh, who has been charged with second-degree murder following the fatal stabbing of a woman at a bus stop in Fairfax County, has drawn major attention in the United States.
Police say Jalloh, 32, originally from Sierra Leone, is accused of killing Stephanie Minter, 41, last month along Richmond Highway near Arlington Drive.
According to investigators, officers from the Fairfax County Police Department responded to reports of an assault at a bus stop and found Minter suffering from multiple stab wounds to her upper body. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities say surveillance footage and witness interviews helped identify Jalloh as a suspect. Detectives reported that both Jalloh and the victim were seen getting off a bus together shortly before the attack.
Jalloh was later arrested at a nearby liquor store after an employee called 911 to report a shoplifting incident. During questioning and further investigation, police say he was linked to the killing and subsequently charged with second-degree murder.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) says Jalloh entered the United States illegally in 2012. Federal authorities describe him as having a lengthy criminal history with more than 30 prior arrests.
According to officials, the charges over the years have included rape, assault, drug possession, identity theft, and other offenses. Court records in Northern Virginia also show arrests related to petty larceny and malicious wounding.
In 2020, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged an immigration detainer against him and he was reportedly ordered removed to a third country rather than Sierra Leone.
Court records show several serious charges against Jalloh over the past decade:
• In 2018, he was arrested on a charge of forcible rape, which was later dropped.
• That same year, he faced a felony charge for shooting into an occupied building; the charge was later reduced, and he received a 30-day jail sentence with probation.
• In January 2023, he was arrested for malicious wounding, but prosecutors later dropped the case due to lack of victim participation.
• Weeks later, he was arrested again for aggravated malicious wounding. The charge was reduced and he served about seven months of a two-year sentence.
The case has sparked debate about immigration enforcement policies in Virginia, particularly regarding cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration officials.
Officials within DHS have argued that stronger coordination with ICE could help address cases involving undocumented immigrants accused of serious crimes.
Jalloh remains in custody while the case moves through the court system. Authorities say the investigation into the killing of Minter is ongoing and a motive has not yet been publicly confirmed.
The case has drawn attention partly because the accused is a Sierra Leonean national living in the United States illegally, highlighting broader discussions about immigration policy and public safety.
