A mortgage company employee was shot to death while doing work at a property to be foreclosed in Northern Virginia, and a man living there is accused of the crime.
Michael Dodge II, 35, was working at a house in Stafford County, Virginia, and was on the phone with a co-worker Tuesday just before the shooting.
The co-worker called police after hearing shots being fired during the call and being unable to reach Mr. Dodge afterward, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies went to the home and found Mr. Dodge, who was declared dead at the scene. The deputies had a brief stand-off with suspect Donald Thomas, 64, who was living on the property and who is accused of shooting Mr. Dodge multiple times.
Mr. Thomas was arrested without further incident. Authorities charged Mr. Thomas with first-degree murder and unlawfully shooting or wounding in the commission of a felony. He is being held in the Rappahannock Regional Jail in Fredericksburg without bond.
The sheriff’s office did not say what the nature of Mr. Dodge’s work was. The victim reportedly was at the house to re-ensure the property was secure and to replace the locks in preparation for foreclosure proceedings.
“If the property was broken, he would go secure it. If the property had to have some minor repairs, he would do the repairs,” the victim’s father, Michael William Dodge, told WUSA-TV.
The sheriff’s office did not specify whether Mr. Thomas was legally living in the house.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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