A man, who fled the country after killing two people in Fairfax County, Virginia, in 2016, and avoiding law enforcement for years, was sentenced to life in prison Friday.
Yohannes Nessibu, 29, was convicted of first-degree murder in the killing of Kedest Simeneh, 22, and voluntary manslaughter in the death of Henok Yohannes, prosecutors said.
His sentencing included a life sentence for the first-degree murder charge, 10 years for manslaughter and eight years for felony firearms charges.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano said the more than six years of delay in the investigation and conviction were caused, in part, by Nessibu’s escape to Ethiopia.
“The families of Kedest and Henok have faced a great tragedy with the loss of their children and siblings at a young age,” Descano said in a release. “Their trauma has only been exacerbated by the unusual length of this case, which progressed for seven years due to the need for international extradition, separate trials and a pandemic.”
Prosecutors showed that Nessibu and a few others — including Simeneh — came to Yohannes to buy marijuana on Dec. 22, 2016, when the shooting happened. That evening, prosecutors said Nessibu shot Yohannes twice in the back of the head before fleeing the scene.
He shot 22-year-old Simeneh later that evening, leaving her body just outside a Burke, Virginia, residence, prosecutors said.
Nessibu flew to Ethiopia the next morning and remained there until his extradition in 2019. He was found guilty of murdering Simeneh on Aug. 31, 2022, and killing Yohannes on Mar. 2.
“Throughout this process, my office has never wavered in our commitment to hold the defendant accountable and seek a just outcome for the community,” Descano said. “Now that this case has come to a close, I hope that the families are able to begin the path towards healing.”
