‘RIP sucker’ graffiti found near scene of Fairfax Co. death investigation

WASHINGTON — Homicide detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying suspicious graffiti found near where the body of a man was found in a wooded area of Clifton, Virginia.

Fairfax County police found the body of James McDonald, 26, of Chantilly, Virginia, on May 21 in the woods off Union Village Drive in nearby Clifton with trauma to his upper body after detectives traced the location of his cellphone, according to a Fairfax County Police Department news release.

McDonald was last seen by a family member on May 15 and was officially reported missing on May 19, police say.

The graffiti includes an image of a skull, roses and a broken heart and includes the phrase “RIP sucker.”

The police are waiting on final results from the medical examiner but call McDonald’s death “suspicious.” Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective J. Vickery at (703) 246-2856.

Valerie Bonk

Valerie Bonk started working at WTOP in 2016 and has lived in Howard County, Maryland, her entire life. She's thrilled to be a reporter for WTOP telling stories on air. She works as both a television and radio reporter in the Maryland and D.C. areas. 

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