Suspect enters guilty plea to first degree murder at PW Circuit Court arraignment Jan. 23

Amy Ashworth, Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney, has announced the successful prosecution in the Prince William County Circuit Court, of Adrian Kendall Bryant arising from the July 21, 2021, murder of a 17-year-old juvenile in Woodbridge, Va. The Commonwealth’s case against Bryant was set for jury trial today, Monday, Jan. 23, 2023 to begin at 10 a.m., however,  Bryant entered a guilty plea to the charge of first-degree murder at his arraignment at 9 a.m.

According to Ashworth, the case of Commonwealth of Virginia v. Adrian Kendall Bryant was this: On July 21, 2021, at approximately 11 a.m., Adrian Kendall Bryant met with the juvenile victim, along with two other individuals at a location on Still Place in Prince William County. Several homeowners’ cameras captured the brief interaction between the juvenile and Mr. Bryant who produced a handgun and fired three shots at the juvenile victim, hitting him twice. Mr. Bryant then fled the scene in the vehicle that had transported the juvenile to Still Place. The juvenile victim was transported to Sentara Hospital and pronounced dead. 

According to the Commonwealth Attorney’s office, first-degree murder carries a sentence of up to life in prison and a fine of $100,000. There is no plea agreement or recommendation as to the sentence. Bryant remains in custody at the Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center. The Hon. James Willett will conduct Bryant’s sentencing hearing on June 15, 2023, Ashworth noted.

The Bryant case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Kristina Robinson. The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney commends the Prince William County Police Department for its investigation of the case and Sara Vutiprichar, Deputy Director of the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Victim/Witness Program, for the assistance she provided the victim’s family.

Ashworth said, “There is no greater tragedy than the loss of a child to gun violence. The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office vigorously prosecutes violent crime and offers its sincerest condolences to the victim’s family.”

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Amy Ashworth, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Prince William County and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, was elected to a four-year term in November 2019. Her current term expires Dec. 31, 2023. The Commonwealth Attorney’s Office can be reached from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every business day by phone at 703-792-6050 or email at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).