Wood Murder Case to Go Before Grand Jury

An Arlington County Grand Jury will convene on May 20 and hear the case of a man accused of killing his own father last year in Arlington.

Prosecutors are seeking an indictment against Mack Leon Wood Jr., 47, for capital murder. The grand jury does not determine guilt or innocence but rather decides whether probable cause exists to proceed with a trial on the charges.

“It’s potentially a capital case,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo Stamos. Police have not released a motive in the homicide or many details about the case, including how the victim was killed.

Mack Leon Wood Sr., 87, of Arlington , at in his home in the 3700 block of North Wakefield Street. Police at the time called the death “suspicious” but did not say how he died. Three suspects were arrested in January.

The younger Wood was found by the U.S. Marshals Service in Florida. He and co-defendants, Jean Caleb Pierre, 32, and Sapien Edmonds, 29, both of Henrico County, were each charged with first-degree murder.

Wood Jr. waived his right to a preliminary hearing on April 22, Stamos said. If the grand jury returns an indictment, the court will set a trial date.

Pierre’s case remains in General District Court, Stamos said.

Edmonds was indicted April 22 on a slew of charges stemming from the homicide and another incident. Stamos would not say what happened during the second case. Edmonds has been indicted on charges of attempted capital murder, capital murder for hire, capital murder in the commission of a robbery, conspiracy and two counts of burglary, Stamos said.

Edmonds has been assigned a capital public defender. A status date in his case has been scheduled for June 13, when a trial date could be set.