A Woodbridge High School football player was fatally stabbed Saturday at a Prince William County park, an incident that has left his friends and teammates struggling for answers and mourning the death of the 18-year-old linebacker.
Police said Sunday that they are investigating the killing of Kenny Joseph Diaz, who was stabbed in the stomach at Marumsco Acre Lake Park, east of Interstate 95 near the Occoquan Bay in Woodbridge. Officers responded at 3:15 p.m., police said, and Diaz was taken to a hospital, where he died.
In a news release, police said the stabbing “does not appear to be random,” indicating that Diaz might have known his attacker or attackers. Prince William County police asked for the public’s help in providing information about the attack, the fourth homicide this year in the large suburban county.
Diaz’s death shook the Woodbridge High School community over the weekend.
Woodbridge High School was on a real high after their victory over Stonewall Jackson High School on Friday night. The joy and celebration turned to horror as word spread of Kenny’s death Saturday afternoon. How does anyone make any sense of this tragic murder?
It’s going to be a rough few days for the Vikings and for Prince William County at large. We don’t like our young folks being killed. Diaz is the second football player from Prince William County to be murdered in recent years. Xavier Stringfellow, recent graduate of Battlefield High School was found murdered in a minivan in Fairfax County in December of 2012.
Psychologists will be called in to Woodbridge High School and probably any other school that requests them. Young people in particular have a difficult time with such untimely death. Parents, students, and staff will all have access to the team of psychologists.
The City of Manassas also had a student murdered walking home from school in 2011. Mickey Hernandez was stabbed to death in broad daylight by gang members. Mickey was not involved with gang activity. He was a good kid and well liked by students and teachers.
In the cases of Mickey Hernandez and Xavier Stringfellow, the killer(s) were apprehended and convicted. Whoever killed Kenny Diaz will meet the same fate. Meanwhile the community, Woodbridge High School, and Prince William County mourns the senseless death of yet another young man. Senseless violence, just senseless.
Surely they were witnesses to the stabbing?
Who knows. I guess it’s too early to tell.
Somebody knows something, I feel certain. It was the middle of the day on a Saturday afternoon. I hope they make an arrest or arrests in this case quickly.
So do I. That is horrible! Too many kids are being murdered.
6 have been arrested. So glad this case is solved.
This is from PWCPD’s FB page. Pictures are attached on their FB page. All were from Woodbridge.
Murder Investigation *ARRESTS – On September 23rd, detectives from the Violent Crimes Bureau made multiple arrests in the murder of Kenny DIAZ which was reported to have occurred at Marumsco Acre Lake Park located at 14398 Melbourne Ave in Woodbridge on September 21st. During the investigation, detectives discovered that the stabbing was connected to an unreported armed robbery committed against a friend of DIAZ. The robbery was reported to have occurred on September 12th in the 14300 block of Bellona Rd in Woodbridge (22191). The investigation into the robbery revealed that the suspect, Diandra SAMUELS, robbed the friend of DIAZ of an undisclosed amount of U.S. Currency. Upon learning of the robbery, DIAZ and other acquaintances planned to confront SAMUELS on September 21st at her address on Bellona Dr. During that encounter, multiple acquaintances of SAMUELS were also present. One of those acquaintances, Dominic SMITH, assaulted one of the other parties with a handgun which was taken from one of the acquaintances who accompanied DIAZ. This caused the group to disperse and flee on foot. DIAZ was not able to get away and was subsequently assaulted by SAMUELS before being forced into a vehicle by SAMUELS and other acquaintances [listed below] and driven to the park where he was stabbed and killed by SAMUELS. Detectives worked extensively on this case and were able to identify all of the parties involved in this case. Additional charges and arrests are forthcoming however the main parties involved have been apprehended. These encounters were not random and stemmed from drug dealings. As a result of the investigation, this homicide has been classified as a murder.
Arrested on September 23rd:
Diandra Janae SAMUELS, 19, of 14307 Bellona Rd #411 in Woodbridge
Charged with murder, aggravated malicious wounding, abduction, armed robbery, and the use of a firearm in commission of a felony
Dominic Glenn SMITH, 26, of 14615 Earlham Ct in Woodbridge
Charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and abduction
Deneen Antoinette WILLIAMS, 29, of 14307 Bellona Rd #403 in Woodbridge
Charged with abduction
Renee Claytor CAPLES, 22, of 14307 Bellona Rd #402 in Woodbridge
Charged with abduction
Teena Marie GERBOZY, 24, of 14309 Bellona Rd #301 in Woodbridge
Charged with abduction
Gregory Allan BONDS, 22, of 15907 Ensbrook Ln in Woodbridge
Charged with abduction
Court date: December 2, 2013 | Bond: held WITHOUT bond
Homicide Investigation [Previously Released] – On September 21st at 3:15PM, police responded to Marumsco Acre Lake Park located at 14398 Melbourne Ave in Woodbridge (22191) for a stabbing. Caller reported to police that a man was found in the park bleeding from an apparent stab wound to his stomach. The victim was transported to an area hospital where he died. Detectives from the Violent Crimes Bureau are working this case as a homicide and are currently following up on leads. At this point in the investigation, this incident does not appear to be random. The investigation continues. This is Prince William County’s 4th homicide of 2013.
Identified:
The victim has been identified as Kenny Joseph DIAZ, 18, of Woodbridge
I hope this is a death penalty case.
Thanks Lafayette.
I believe the original robbery on Sept 12 of the friend was a drug deal gone bad.
Sounds like according to insidenova.
Stupid stupid stupid things for all these kids to do.
It sounds like the original problem wasn’t turned over to the police because it was a drug deal. When will young people learn they aren’t immortal and that bad behavior has consequences.