Mothers share tearful meeting after man accused of killing intern, teen girl is arrested

Mothers share tearful meeting after arrest in murder case

Two mothers share an emotional meeting after suspect in congressional intern and teen’s murder is arrested.

WASHINGTON - The man accused of murdering a congressional intern and a teenage girl in separate summer attacks is finally behind bars.

Naqwan Antonio Lucas, who had evaded the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and D.C. police for four months, was arrested Wednesday in Germantown, officials announced Thursday.

Suspect caught

Lucas is charged in the shooting death of 21-year-old Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a congressional intern killed in Northwest D.C. on May 30. Just five days later, police say Lucas fatally attacked his girlfriend, 17-year-old Zoey Kelley Hickman, whose body was found barely conscious and bleeding inside a storage bin.

"I haven’t saw my son since May 30. I haven’t touched him, and I never will again. He’s ashes now," said Eric’s mother, Tamara Tarpinian-Jachym.

"My life has been in an uproar," said Zoey’s mother, Shamika Kelley.

While nothing can erase their grief, both mothers say Lucas’s arrest brings relief. Tarpinian-Jachym received the news from a detective at her home in Massachusetts.

"I was like, ‘Oh my God!’ and I started to cry. Eric’s birthday was yesterday. It was a belated gift," she said.

Kelley learned of the arrest while surrounded by family in D.C.

"Her team, our team—baby, we worked hard on this," she said.

READ MORE: 3rd suspect arrested in killing of Capitol Hill intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym and teen girl: sources

Mothers meet in grief

After Lucas appeared before a judge Thursday, both mothers asked to be connected. FOX 5’s Sydney Persing arranged a Zoom call before leaving the courthouse.

"My God, I finally get to see you. I’m so sorry," Tamara said.

"We love you. I am here," Kelley replied.

For five minutes, the two women, strangers until that day, cried together and promised to support one another.

"We’re mothers. We should have been holding their hands," Tamara said.

"I beat myself up about this so much. I wish I could have been there," Kelley added.

"I am with you. And I know spiritually, I feel that you’re with us," she said.

Now, brought together by tragedy, the two mothers say they believe their children are watching over them.

"Him and Zoey are up there, and they’re going to guide us. I really believe it," Tamara said.

Lucas has pleaded not guilty. He remains in custody.

READ MORE: Suspect in DC intern's murder now accused of killing teen girl