Fairfax County Murder: 31-year-old Man Faces 40-year Sentence!

A man faces up to 40 years in prison after being convicted of the gruesome murder of a Virginia man on Thursday. A jury convicted Aaron Robertson, 31, of second-degree murder for killing Luis Barahona Reyes, 50, on June 10, 2023.

According to investigators, Robertson and Reyes were strangers when they got off a bus at the same stop on Draper Drive in Fairfax City at 11 p.m. on June 9, 2023. After a brief talk, Robertson led Reyes to a parking area, where he struck him unconscious. Robertson returned early the next morning, beating, stabbing, and ultimately killing Reyes.

Robertson then left, returning a third time to clean up and attempt to dispose of the body. Evidence presented at trial linked Robertson to the murder, including Reyes’ blood on his shoes and his own DNA beneath Reyes’ fingernails.

Surveillance footage from that night and the next morning, as well as witnesses from adjacent Wawa and 7-Eleven outlets, show Robertson walking in and out many times to wash his hands. Prosecutors claimed Robertson attacked and killed Reyes because he solicited him for sex during their first chat after getting off the bus.

“I’m personally dismayed this type of crime could happen in this day and age, especially in a community like Fairfax County that prides itself on being welcoming,” stated CA Descano. “Mr. Barahona Reyes’ death is tragic, and the fact that he may have been killed for his sexuality only further adds to the injustice.”

On July 26, Robertson will be sentenced for second-degree murder, which carries a maximum penalty of 40 years.