A Lorton, Virginia, man has been found guilty of killing a husband and wife, both U.S. Army colonels, after a dispute with the son of the victims. The murder happened in May of 2021, in the driveway of the couple’s home in the Springfield area.
“This is just such a senseless crime,” said Fairfax Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano.
Descano said Ronnie Marshall, 21, killed the couple after he came to their home on two occasions looking for their son, and property or money he believed the son had stolen from him.
A few days before the murder, according to Descano, Marshall broke into the house then left after being confronted by Edward McDaniel, an Army colonel and a doctor. Two days later, he returned to the home for a second time where he shot and killed Edward and Brenda McDaniel execution-style outside of the home when he didn’t find the son.
“I think it really hits home, you know, this happened in somebody’s own driveway while they were unarmed, walking their dogs totally by surprise,” Descano said of the killings.
At the time of the murders, Edward McDaniel, 55, was still active with the Army and was an Army doctor. Brenda McDaniel, who was 63 and retired, was a nurse.
D’Angelo Strand, 20, of Fort Washington, Maryland, was also arrested and charged in connection of the murders. Strand was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. As of now, he has not gone to trial.
Marshall was convicted of aggravated murder and two counts of the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The commonwealth’s attorney’s office says the charge of aggravated murder is used when two people are killed in the same incident.
Marshall faces up to life in prison when he’s sentenced in February 2023.
