Grand jury indicts mother of second-degree murder

A Loudoun County Grand Jury on May 21 indicted a Sterling woman of second-degree murder after she was charged with killing her 20-month-old daughter in 2005.

Vanesa Patricio-Cruz, 30, is scheduled for trial in Loudoun County Circuit Court on Sept. 19. In addition to second-degree murder, she was also indicted on charges of felony homicide and child abuse and neglect.

Cruz was arrested March 5 after an investigation by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office determined her daughter died from blunt force trauma.

The original investigation occurred Aug. 13, 2005, after the 20-month old died for “unknown reasons.” The infant, Jocelin Gutierrez, was brought to a South Riding Fire Rescue station by the family before they took her to Fair Oaks Hospital. She died later that night.

Authorities have so far been tight-lipped as to how they were able to charge Cruz seven years after her daughter’s death.

Court records detailing more on the case were unavailable as of May 22.

Owner faces charges for burning business

Also indicted on May 21 was Sonia Grimaldi, the owner of the Super Latin Grocery and Deli in eastern Loudoun, who allegedly set fire to her business.

Grimalidi, of Ashburn, is charged with malicious burning of an occupied structure after authorities said intentionally started a fire to collect insurance money.

A trial date has not yet been set.

According to reports, the fire caused $350,000 damage to the grocery and deli and $500,000 to the shopping center which housed the business in the 46000 block of Old Ox Road near the Town of Herndon border.

Authorities arrested Grimaldi after an investigation with an accelerant detection canine. The dog alerted on several locations within the store.  was brought in and gave an alert at multiple locations within the grocery store.

In addition surveliance video confirmed Grimaldi was at the business the day of the fire.

Burglary suspects to get day in court

A pair charged with a burglary spree through Leesburg have been indicted and one is on the lam.

Brian Romberger, 28, of Bristow, and Justin Easom, 24, of Manassas, are each charged with breaking and entering at night, grand larceny and three counts of credit card theft.

They were arrested March 16.

Easom is scheduled to plead guilty on July 9, however Romberger didn’t show for court on May 21 and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest, according to court records. No other information was available as of late May 22.

The two were already in the Prince William Adult Detention Center on unrelated charges when Leesburg Police charged them with five felony counts each relating to 21 incidents.

The incidents, according to Master Police Officer Christopher Tidmore, occurred between Feb. 19 and Feb. 22 throughout neighborhoods in the southwest and northeast areas of Leesburg.

The two were stealing items from vehicles and homes during the spree, Tidmore said.

During the home burglaries, the two would enter through open garage doors, he said.