Fredericksburg police nab suspect in The Plains double homicide

Thursday, Feb. 28 | By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Fredericksburg police Wednesday arrested John Wesley Jefferies, the "person of interest" in the Feb. 24 deaths of an elderly couple in their home in The Plains.

At 3:50 p.m. Wednesday, Jefferies was taken into custody in the 2000 block of Lafayette Boulevard in Fredericksburg, at the home of a known associate, according to Natatia L. Bledsoe, public information officer, Fredericksburg Police Department.

Bledsoe said Jeffries was apprehended by members of the Safe Streets Task Force, which is made up of law enforcement officials from Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George, Virginia State Police, and FBI.

According to Bledsoe, Jeffries, who was wanted by the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office for unrelated felony charges of abduction, strangling and malicious wounding, is currently in the custody of Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office. Jeffries is registered as a violent sex offender in Virginia.

"Jeffries was transported from the scene by ambulance to Mary Washington Hospital. Jeffries was not injured during the arrest. I have no information concerning his medical condition," she said.

According to Fauquier County Sheriff's Office spokesman Lt. James Hartman, deputies responded to a call on Sunday from concerned friends who noticed Nelson and Ethal Slack hadn't attended church that morning.

Hartman said the officers found Nelson Slack, 80, and his wife, Ethel Slack, 74, dead inside their home in the 7200 block of Bunker Hill Road near The Plains. Both suffered "trauma to the upper body," Hartman said.

The Slacks' vehicle, taken from their home, was later found in Fredericksburg, and impounded by the sheriff's office.

Hartman identified John Wesley Jeffries, 60, of Fredericksburg, as a "person of interest."

A vehicle known to be operated by Jeffries was found about a half mile from the Slacks' home.

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