The chilly, below-normal temperatures have brought about some of the first frost advisories of the season in the area.

The frost advisories for a number of counties across Maryland and Virginia heading into Wednesday morning from 2 a.m. through 9 a.m.

Maryland has frost advisories in Frederick, northwest Montgomery and northwest Howard counties.

Meanwhile, Virginia has frost advisories across Frederick; Rappahannock; Culpeper; northern Fauquier; southern Fauquier; western Loudoun; eastern Loudoun; and northwest Prince William counties.

Frost could harm or even kill sensitive outdoor plants — including vegetables and subtropical plants, such as tomatoes and hibiscus — if they are left outside unprotected.

Plants and vegetation low to the ground can be protected with an extra layer of mulch, while vegetables, crops and other plants should be covered with blankets or row covers, . Potted plants should be brought indoors.

While Wednesday and Thursday will only reach highs in the low 60s to mid-50s, the area is forecast to warm up once again heading into next week.

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Brian van de Graaff, 7News First Alert Senior Meteorologist

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Francis Deonte Rose, 29, was sentenced to 58 years in a Virginia prison on Friday for the murders of Juan Carlos Anaya Hernandez, 24, and Adrian de Jesus Rivera Guzman, 48. Rivera Guzman was Hernandez’s stepfather.

Both the prosecutors and the victims’ families expressed their discontent with the sentence.

“While I understand the Court has a difficult duty in pronouncing sentence in a murder case, the Commonwealth is disappointed the Court did not impose the sentence for which the Commonwealth argued: life in prison without the possibility of parole,” Commonwealth Attorney Bryan Porter said.

“In my opinion, the defendant’s horrific actions in the case surely merited a life sentence,” Porter added.

On July 16, 2022, Guzman and Hernandez were working in the 200 block of Century Drive when
Rose walked over and executed both men. Alexandria police later located Rose hiding inside
a nearby apartment he had broken into.

A bloody shirt and a gun were found just outside of the apartment. DNA later connected both items to Rose, and the blood on the shirt belonged to one of the victims.

Rose didn’t know either of the victims, and authorities still haven’t discerned any motive for the murders.

The defendant was convicted in May 2024 on two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of the use of a firearm in the commission of murder, destruction of property and a misdemeanor charge of trespassing.

“I know that if he’s in prison, my son and husband, they won’t come back. They’re gone forever,” Laura Hernandez, the wife and mother of the victims, previously . “And even if it’s hard for me to believe, that’s how things are. I accept it. But this man can’t get out. He can’t get out.”

At the time of the murders, Rose already faced previous charges in D.C. and Arlington for illegally possessing firearms.

Rose is incarcerated at the William G. Truesdale Alexandria Adult Detention Center while he awaits transfer to the Virginia Department of Corrections.

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It happened before 6 a.m. at the 15700 block of Piedmont Place in the Montclair area.

When firefighters arrived, the two-story house was engulfed in flames, the Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue said.

There was a family of three who lived in a basement apartment of the house. They were able to escape the burning home.

Three people were unaccounted for when firefighters arrived. They then found three people dead inside the house after the fire was extinguished.

The Prince William County police later identified the deceased as Sameena Begum, 49, a 13-year-old boy, and an 8-year-old boy. The two boys were her sons. The father was at work when the fire happened.

Officials said that due to the extent of their injuries, the medical examiner’s office will conduct autopsies to determine the cause of death, but they don’t appear to be suspicious.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, but because of the severity, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will be helping the Prince William County Fire Department investigate.

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Ernesto Ramon Mercado, 54, has been charged with three counts of first-degree sexual abuse and five counts of second-degree sexual abuse, with aggravating circumstances on all counts, after being forensically linked to five home invasion rape cases that occurred in the Georgetown area between 2008 and 2012. Mercado has also been linked to a sixth sexual assault in College Park, Maryland, just off the University of Maryland campus.

“Thanks to DNA evidence from the rape kits of courageous survivors, improvements in DNA technology, and the tireless efforts of our law enforcement partners and our prosecutors, we were able to link these six rapes,” . “Once we had a DNA profile of the suspect, the team used every forensic tool at its disposal, as well as old-fashioned detective work, to identify the person behind this DNA profile. That hard work led to yesterday’s arrest of Ernesto Mercado.”

At the time of the sexual assaults, the then-unknown offender had been dubbed the “Georgetown-College Park Cuddler Rapist.” The five sexual assaults in D.C. took place between June 26, 2008 and Aug. 31, 2012.

“In the media reports at the time, this suspect was labeled as both the ‘College Park Cuddler’ and the ‘Georgetown Cuddler.’ Over the years, this term has only caused more harm to our victims. This man is a predator, and his intent was not to cuddle these women, but instead, his intent was to rape them, and it was only when they would wake up that the assault would end and he would flee,” said Det. Alexander Mac Bean, with the sexual assault cold case unit in the Criminal Investigations Division of the Metropolitan Police Department.

According to authorities, Mercado would break into homes in the late night or predawn hours and assault these women. Many survivors reported being asleep when they were first assaulted and waking up during the act, at which time the attacker fled. 

Mercado is believed to have stalked his victims, targeting those alone, sleeping or intoxicated, police said.

The arrest was the result of the Cold Case Sexual Assault Initiative, a joint effort between D.C. police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to reinvestigate and close previously unsolved sexual assaults.

“For the past 16 years, our Sexual Assault Unit detectives have continued to follow up on leads and connect the cases together — looking for patterns, evidence and a suspect,” D.C. police Chief Pamela Smith said at a news conference Wednesday. “We know that people often want answers right away in cases, but our detectives never gave up, and today’s announcement speaks to their unending commitment to bring justice to victims.”

Mercado appeared in court Wednesday, where the judge ordered a preliminary hearing be scheduled for Oct. 10.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone who was sexually assaulted or who may have information related to these or additional cases is encouraged to call the D.C. police at 202-727-9099 or text 50411. You can remain anonymous.

‘I woke up with someone on top of me’

According to court documents, Mercado was involved in at least five offenses in the Georgetown area.

Three of the first victims described awaking early in the morning in 2008 to find a tall Hispanic man in their homes. Around that time, a Georgetown University spokesperson told that the Department of Public Safety would be increasing patrols in those areas.

In another case, in June 2008, court documents say a man broke into a woman’s basement apartment and attempted to sexually assault her in her bed.

The woman had been drinking with friends, came home around 3 a.m. and then went to bed, court documents said. A couple of hours later, “I woke up with someone on top of me,” the woman told a nurse at the time. The man then fled, running up the stairs from her home.

Nearly a year later, in July 2009, another woman reported she had woken up to a man on top of her. The woman said she thought she was dreaming and “then realized that someone was having sex with her,” court documents said. The man then ran out.

, The Georgetown Voice’s editorial board said “the rapist continues to pose a risk to women’s safety on campus and in the surrounding neighborhood.”

In 2012, a woman in Northwest D.C. reported the screen to her bedroom window had been cut and she awoke to find her undergarments feeling “wet,” after returning home from a night out. She “vaguely recalled someone (being) in her room but cannot give a description,” the documents read.

The woman got a sexual assault exam performed in New York, and reported the incident to authorities when she returned to D.C.

In a follow-up interview in 2016, the same woman recalled being in “a foggy dream state” at the time and had attempted to the push the man off her “then seeing him walk out her door.”

How authorities zeroed in on the Arlington man

Evidence from the sexual assaults were entered into the CODIS database for routine search. The database holds DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence and missing persons. The male DNA profiles matched one another, indicating that the same person was linked in the assaults.

A genetic genealogy testing led to Mercado’s identification. Forensic genealogy is a technique in which investigators use a known DNA sample to build a family tree of possible connections based on DNA profiles from publicly accessible genealogy websites.

For the past several weeks, police obtained a warrant to get swabs of Mercado’s driver side door handle of his car and the inside of his cheek. Testing of the cheek swabs collected from Mercado found that his DNA profile matched evidence collected from one of the previous assaults.

“As yesterday’s arrest demonstrates, advancements in technology and collaboration among law enforcement partners can lead to breakthroughs in cases that have previously gone unsolved,” said FBI agent David Geist in a statement.

Â鶹ąŮÍř’s Abigail Constantino contributed to this report.

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Police responded to the Inova Alexandria Hospital at 3:03 a.m. following a report of a man found on the ground outside of one of the hospital’s entrances, a news release said. Hospital staff tried lifesaving measures on the man, who had been shot several times, but he died from his injuries.

Courtesy Alexandria Police Department

Courtesy Alexandria Police Department

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The man has not been publicly identified at this time, pending the notification of next of kin.

Alexandria police have released photographs of a car they believe to be involved: a dark gray, four-door 2008 Mercedes-Benz C class with Virginia tags reading RX22K.

Police are asking anyone who sees the vehicle to call 911 and alert their local police department.

Anyone with information on the investigation is encouraged to call Detective Stephen Riley of the Alexandria Police Department Criminal Investigation Division at 703-746-6225.

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The recent recall was posted by the on May 16.

The products were first after Electrolux received reports of “ranges behaving erratically.” Depending on the model involved, reported hazards from the ranges included the surface heating turning on spontaneously without being switched on; failing to turn off after being switched off; and heating to different temperatures than the one selected — each posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.

Manufactured in the U.S. by Electrolux Home Products Inc., of Charlotte, North Carolina, the ranges were sold in Sears stores and a variety of independent appliance stores nationwide from June 2001 through August 2009 for prices ranging from $1,000 to $2,500.

Since the initial recall in 2009, Electrolux has received at least 212 reports of dangerous incidents involving these ranges, including 14 reports of fires and eight reports involving burn injuries to peoples’ hands or arms, as well as smoke inhalation.

The current recall includes Frigidaire, Frigidaire Gallery, Frigidaire Professional and Kenmore Elite smooth-top electric ranges sold in white, bisque, black and stainless steel.

The product’s serial number will indicate whether or not the range can be repaired. Consumers can locate their ranges’ brand name, model and serial number by opening the bottom drawer of the range and looking inside on the frame. If it can be repaired, a free inspection and repair will be scheduled by Electrolux.

For ranges that can’t be repaired, once the consumer provides a receipt or other proof they purchased a new range and paid to have the old one hauled away, the consumer will receive a refund in the form of a $50 electronic gift card, as well as a reimbursement of up to $60 for the haul-away fee for their recalled range. In some instances, Electrolux will reimburse haul-away fees costing more than $60 if they receive proper corroborating documentation.

To participate in the recall, consumers can contact Electrolux directly by phone (888-845-8226) email, or register online at , or .

Below is a list of the affected models and serial numbers.

Frigidaire Model Numbers:

• FEFBZ90GC*
• FEFLMC55GC*
• FEFLZ87GC*
• GLEF396AB*
• GLEF396AQ*
• GLEF396AS*
• GLEF396CQ*
• GLEF396CS*
• GLEFM397DB*
• GLEFM397DQ*
• GLEFM397DS*
• GLEFM97FPB*
• GLEFM97FPW*
• GLEFM97GPB*
• GLEFM97GPW*
• LEEFM389FE*
• PLEF398AC*
• PLEF398CC*
• PLEF398DC*
• PLEFM399DC*
• PLEFMZ99EC*
• PLEFMZ99GC*
• PLEFZ398EC*
• PLEFZ398GC*

Frigidaire Serial Numbers:

• Ranging from VF122xxxxx through VF936xxxxx

Kenmore Elite Model Numbers:

• 790.990121*
• 790.990131*
• 790.990141*
• 790.990191*

Kenmore Elite Serial Numbers:

• Ranging from VF122xxxxx – VF334xxxxx

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D.C. police is encouraging motorists to plan alternate routes where necessary and to allow extra transit time for possible delays the closures may cause.

“Vehicles that park in violation of the emergency no parking signs will be ticketed and towed,” police said in .

The road closures and parking restrictions are listed below.

Emergency No Parking

The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking from 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, until 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 20.

• H Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to 20th Street, NW
• 19th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to G Street, NW
• 18th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to G Street, NW
• Pennsylvania Avenue from 19th Street to 1924 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (south curb only)
• G Street from 18th Street to 20th Street, NW (north curb only)

Road Closures

The following street will be closed to vehicle traffic from 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, until 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, 2024:

• H Street from 19th Street to 20th Street, NW

The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic from 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, April 19.

• H Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to 20th Street, NW
• 19th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to G Street, NW

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The storms biggest potential threats are damaging winds and possible flooding. 7News First Alert Chief Meteorologist Veronica Johnson said an isolated tornado is possible, especially east of Interstate 81 and west of D.C.

“It’s going to be a noisy night for us with the thunder, some of the lightning that you’ll see even in the distance and some pockets of heavy to moderate rain,” said 7News First Alert Chief Meteorologist Veronica Johnson.

During those storms, winds could reach up to 30 mph and temperatures will be in the mid 50s.

“Watch out for the possibility of a squall line to develop across the western suburbs and then sweep across the area,” said Â鶹ąŮÍř Meteorologist Mike Stinneford.

The showers and storms are expected to wrap up before sunrise.

The is warning that coastal areas could flood between now and Friday evening, including shorelines in D.C., Alexandria, Virginia, and Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

The Â鶹ąŮÍř Prediction Center has the area as a low category 1 risk for storms and a “slight” risk for flooding, especially around the Southwest Waterfront and Hains Point Loop Road, with the heaviest rain expected overnight.

If you need to travel during these storms, take necessary precautions for flooding and allow extra travel time as some roads may be closed.

Some passing showers could move through on Friday and it will be windy and cooler.

Fortunately, these stormy conditions won’t last for long.

Heading into the weekend, you can expect to see mostly sunshine. Saturday will be breezy with highs in the 60s, while Sunday’s highs will near 80 with lighter winds, making it the perfect time to get outside.

• Listen to Â鶹ąŮÍř online and on the radio at 103.5 FM or 107.7 FM.
• Current traffic conditions
• Â鶹ąŮÍř forecast
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THURSDAY NIGHT: Scattered showers, storms. Pockets of moderate rain, fog. Lows: 50s. Winds: Southeast 10-15, Gusts to 25 mph.

FRIDAY: Lingering morning showers. Breezy. Highs: 60s. Winds: Southwest 10-15, Gusts 25 mph.

SATURDAY: Partly to mostly sunny, windy. Highs: around 65. Winds: West 10-20, gusts to 30 mph.

SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs: 75-80. Winds: Southwest 10-15 mph.

Current weather

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In the letter, dated Tuesday, to Monumental Sports & Entertainment’s general counsel Abby Blomstrom, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb cited legislation from July 2007 in which D.C. provided $50 million through municipal bonds for arena renovations with the caveat that the lease would be extended an additional 20 years beyond its initial 2027 time frame.

Monumental has stated previously it can legally end its lease at Capital One Arena early, citing amendments to the original agreement.

Schwalb countered this, stating the legislation doesn’t include any amendments that would allow the company to “extinguish or revoke the lease extensions upon prepayment of the outstanding bond debt.”

He further posited that Monumental had already broken additional contractual obligations by negotiating with Virginia.

The attorney general said the agreement includes terms that state if the company ever intended to relocate the Capitals and Wizards, Monumental was required to: notify D.C. of its intent; negotiate exclusively with D.C. for six months; refrain from negotiating with any third parties during that six-month period; if it intended to enter a new agreement with a third party following the six-month negotiation period, it would need to provide D.C. with written notice and the terms of the agreement; and allow D.C. 90 days to make a competing offer.

The letter does state that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s $500 million offer to renovate Capital One Arena is still on the table.

More Monumental News

• In the shadow of Capital One Arena: Chinese residents contemplate Capitals, Wizards move
• Va. state senator blocking Alexandria arena plan doubtful compromise can be reached
• Two fragile DC neighborhoods hang in the balance as the Wizards and Capitals consider leaving town
• How strong is opposition to a new Capitals and Wizards arena in Alexandria from those who live closest?

Bowser’s office told Â鶹ąŮÍř it has no comment on the D.C. attorney general’s letter at this time. However, in an , the mayor said the city would enforce the terms of the lease if necessary.

Schwalb’s letter echoed this sentiment.

“The District very much prefers not to pursue any potential claims against MSE,” Schwalb wrote in the letter. “It remains committed to maintaining and growing its partnership with MSE and to keeping the Wizards and Capitals at the Arena until the end of the existing lease term in 2047, if not beyond. It is in that spirit that the District urges MSE to reengage with District officials around a mutually beneficial arrangement that advances the long term interests of both the District and MSE.”

In response to the letter, a Monumental spokesperson told Â鶹ąŮÍř, “We fundamentally disagree with the Attorney General’s opinions, which are contradicted by the DC General Counsel as recently as 2019 when the city ratified the Ground Lease,” referring to an amendment made to the lease.

This is just the latest snag Monumental has faced as the company’s $2 billion plan for a new arena in Alexandria has stalled in the Virginia legislature. Democratic Sen. L. Louise Lucas, chair of the Finance and Appropriations Committee, excluded funding for the arena in the state’s budget earlier this month.

“Why are we discussing an arena at Potomac Yard with the same organization that is breaking their agreement and commitments to Washington DC?” Lucas . “Does anyone believe they wouldn’t do exactly the same thing to us?”

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Ted Leonsis, owner of the Capitals and Wizards, announced in December a handshake deal to build a new arena and move the teams to the Potomac Yard neighborhood of Alexandria.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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, the shooting took place in the intersection of Seventh and P Street NW at around 3 a.m.

When police got to the scene, two women and three men were found with gunshot wounds in the 600 block of P Street NW.

“All five victims were transported to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries,” the department said in a statement Sunday evening. Their current conditions are unknown.

Officials later found two 32-year-old men in the area with deadly gunshot wounds. They were identified later as Anthony Brown of Southeast, D.C. and Jay Lucks of Baltimore, Maryland. Both men died at the scene.

Police say at least one male suspect fled on foot and remains at large. He was last seen in the 700 block of P Street Northwest wearing light pants and a blue shirt.

“The initial information that we have at this time is that seven people were shot at this location, two which have since been pronounced deceased,” Executive Assistant Chief Jeffrey Carroll

The investigation is ongoing. The initial investigation indicates that “one or more suspects intentionally discharged a firearm at the victims,” police said.

Police are asking anyone who may have information related to the shooting or who may have witnessed it contact the department at 202-727-9099. There will be a reward of up to $50,000.

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Fairfax County police responded to the 3200 block of Woodburn Road around 4:30 p.m. after receiving a 911 call from the victim, who as 30-year-old Anesha Isaacs.

Police said Isaacs reported that she was inside her vehicle and her ex-boyfriend — whom she had a restraining order against — was blocking her car outside of her place of work so that she couldn’t leave, police said.

While police were en route, “during a conversation with dispatch, it was updated that the man had shot her,” Fairfax County Police Lt. James Curry said .

Isaacs was still on the phone with the 911 dispatcher when the shooting occurred, police said. Curry said the suspect, Tylan Jennings, had fled in his vehicle — a white SUV — before police arrived.

Officers attempted lifesaving measures on Isaacs, who was transported to the hospital where she later died.

“The victim did nothing wrong,” Curry said. “This is a sad, tragic case.”

Utilizing license plate readers, Fairfax County police were able to determine that the suspect had fled toward Maryland, where Prince George’s County police later located and took him into custody. A firearm was found in his vehicle.

Both the victim and the suspect live in Maryland.

“We have domestic violence detectives dedicated to these type of investigations in Fairfax County to provide resources for those community members … and many, many jurisdictions throughout the National Capital Region have those resources in place,” Curry said.

The investigation is ongoing.

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On Friday, a loaded handgun was discovered in the backpack of an unnamed student at Lyles-Crouch Traditional Academy in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.

“The gun was brought to school accidentally — the child grabbed the wrong backpack that
happened to contain a family member’s legally owned handgun,” the Alexandria Police Department said in .

The student immediately informed their teacher they discovered a gun in their backpack, and the teacher immediately took possession of the backpack and informed the school administrators.

“The child did the right thing, not touching the gun and approaching a responsible adult
about it,” police said. “Claims that the child had threatened other students have been investigated and not corroborated.”

No other students are believed to have seen the weapon or been aware of its existence, and it was never removed from the backpack.

Guardians of Lyles-Crouch students were notified and received an email regarding the incident on Friday from the school’s principal, Laura Burkart, as well as a follow-up email on Saturday responding to questions and concerns.

“What I can assure you is that student and staff safety is our top priority, and that no person will be admitted into Lyles-Crouch if we believe they present a safety or security threat to our staff or students,” Burkart said in an email.

The incident remains under investigation, with Alexandria police adding that “if appropriate the responsible adult involved will be charged.”

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More than 600 Fairfax Connector bus operators and mechanics have been on strike since Thursday, Feb. 22 in protest against contractor Transdev for what their union calls unfair labor practices.

“We understand the inconvenience this poses to our passengers and sincerely apologize for the disruption in service,” the bus service said in a statement.

The Amalgamated Transit Union’s Local 689 said it has been attempting to negotiate a deal with Transdev for higher pay, more sick leave and retirement security.

“Transdev was disappointed over ATU 689’s decision to initiate a strike, despite a generous offer from Transdev,” Transdev said in a statement on Thursday. “This unexpected action has had a severe impact on the community, particularly those who depend on the Fairfax Connector for their daily transportation needs.”

Union workers said their consolidated picket will take place outside of the Fairfax Fair Oaks Marriott at 1187 Route 50 from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. where negotiations between Local 689 and Transdev will be taking place.

Fairfax Connector workers previously went on strike in December 2019 due to the opposition of private contracting of operations.

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D.C. police responded to a report of an unconscious person in the 5000 block of Jay Street NE at 7:38 p.m. on Feb. 14.

There, officers found two women and one man dead from gunshot wounds inside an apartment.

“When they arrived at the residence they found the entrance door to be slightly ajar, inside three deceased adults,” Ramey Kyle, assistant chief of D.C. police, said during

The victims were identified as 58-year-old Renee Bigelow, of no fixed address, 40-year-old Kimberly Stevens and 59-year-old Leon Harper, both of Northeast D.C., according to a .

All three deaths are being investigated as homicides. D.C. police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for each homicide committed in D.C. to anyone who offers information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact police at 202-727-9099, or anonymously by texting the department’s text tip line at 50411.

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