Arrest made in separate 2016 murders of man, woman in Fairfax County, police say

SPRINGFIELD, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - Police have arrested a man they say is connected to two separate homicide investigations that happened over two years ago in different parts of Fairfax County.

Officers say a 24-year-old Yohannes Nessibu, who was extradited back to the U.S. from Ethiopia, has been charged with two counts of homicide and two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with the 2016 murders in Burke and Springfield.

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The investigations began on December 23, 2016 when police say 22-year-old Kedest Sileshi Simeneh of Springfield was found leaning against a tree and not moving by a homeowner in their yard in the 6500 block of Cordwood Court in Burke. The resident contacted police and medical personnel found the woman deceased at the scene with upper body trauma.

On December 22, 2016, investigators found 22-year-old Henok Yohannes dead inside his Springfield home in the 6400 block of Blarney Stone Court, Authorities say they found Yohannes with apparent trauma to the upper body.

At the time, investigators said the two murders happened less than two miles apart and did not appear to be random.

Prior to being indicted, Yohannes Nessibu had left the U.S. for Ethiopia. He was taken into custody by Ethiopian authorities in February 2019 and ultimately transferred back to the U.S. on May 3, 2019.