WINCHESTER — A city man has been indicted for murder following an alleged stabbing in the city last year.
Melvin Eugene Robert Alexander, 29, of the 1800 block of Henry Avenue, was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder by a city grand jury on Tuesday.
The charge follows the death of james Ralph 26, who died at his home in the city in May. His death came more than seven months after he sustained injuries in a two-victim attack allegedly involving Alexander.
A medical report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Manassas — which declared Morgan’s death a homicide — states he died because of spinal cord injuries from “stab wounds to the neck.”
Previously, Alexander had been charged with two counts of aggravated malicious wounding — one for each victim of the attack. The other victim was Bradley Easterday, 26, of Bunker Hill, W.Va., who remains in recovery.
After Morgan’s death and subsequent autopsy, one of those charges was dropped by prosecution in lieu of a murder reindictment.
Alexander is now charged with one count of aggravated malicious wounding and one count of first-degree murder.
He is due back in city Circuit Court on Thursday for appointment of counsel. He is being held at the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center.
Local attorney Chris Collins has thus far acted as counsel for Alexander. He said on Tuesday that he would continue to be his lawyer.
Collins said he had not yet had a chance to review the autopsy report.
According to a criminal complaint filed in city Circuit Court, Alexander was forcefully arrested by the city’s SWAT team that night after allegedly stabbing the two men and then refusing to come out of a home in the 1700 block of Henry Avenue.
Officers found Morgan with wounds on his neck and Easterday, with stab wounds on his neck and one of his arms.
Both Morgan and Easterday were transported to Winchester Medical Center with life-threatening injuries that required surgery, according to the complaint.
The complaint states that an investigation led police to believe that Alexander had an argument with Easterday and Morgan earlier that evening. Alexander allegedly went to his residence, retrieved a knife, and went back out and stabbed the two men.
Witnesses interviewed at the scene said Alexander was heard saying, “I am going to [expletive] kill you” as he assaulted the two men, the complaint states.
Alexander, who also had stab wounds on his arms, was also taken to WMC, where he was treated before being taken to jail, according to a previous police statement.
According to police, the two victims were unarmed.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Heather Hovermale said last month that Morgan had been in therapy for some time, and died soon after being released to his home.
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