Fairfax Burglary Suspect Faces Extradition, New Charge After Missing Court

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — A 73-year-old Oregon man charged in connection with a residential burglary in Fairfax County is awaiting extradition to Maryland, where he faces charges stemming from two break-ins in Bethesda, according to Montgomery County police.

Michael Anthony Spillino, of Newport, Oregon, also faces a new felony charge in Fairfax County after failing to appear for a Monday court hearing in connection with the Virginia burglary, according to online court records.

Spillino was arrested Oct. 27 after Fairfax County police used automated license plate reader technology to locate a vehicle connected to a burglary in the Mantua area. He was subsequently released on a $2,000 bond, according to police.

Fairfax Court Issues Bench Warrant After Missed Hearing

Spillino was charged with burglary and grand larceny following the Oct. 27 incident in the 8900 block of Karen Drive in Mantua.

Court records show that Spillino was scheduled for an arraignment Nov. 2 in Fairfax County General District Court on the two felony charges.

The hearing was continued after Spillino failed to appear, and a bench warrant was issued, according to the Virginia Judiciary's online case information system.

A separate felony failure-to-appear charge was filed Nov. 2 under Virginia Code § 19.2-128. The charge is classified as a Class 6 felony.

Court records list Spillino's status as "fugitive" in both the burglary and grand larceny cases. Those cases and the new failure-to-appear case are scheduled for arraignment at 10:30 a.m. Dec. 30 in Fairfax County General District Court.

Montgomery County police said Thursday that Spillino was being held in a Fairfax County detention facility while awaiting extradition to Maryland.

The circumstances of his return to custody following his release on bond have not been established. It also was not immediately clear how the pending Virginia proceedings would affect the timing of his extradition.

License Plate Readers Help Police Locate Suspect

According to an Oct. 29 Fairfax County Police Department report, officers responded around 9:40 a.m. Oct. 27 to a reported residential burglary in the 8900 block of Karen Drive.

The homeowner observed a man breaking into the residence through a home security camera and provided investigators with a description of the suspect and his vehicle.

Detectives assigned to the department's Real Time Crime Center and Auto Crime Enforcement Squad coordinated their efforts to locate the vehicle using automated license plate reader technology.

Investigators subsequently spotted the vehicle on Richmond Highway in the Fair Haven area of Fairfax County.

Detectives responded to the location and arrested Spillino. During the investigation, police recovered evidence from the vehicle linking him to burglaries outside Fairfax County.

Spillino was taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and charged with burglary and grand larceny.

Maryland Police Link Suspect To Two Bethesda Break-Ins

Montgomery County detectives said Spillino was connected to an attempted burglary Oct. 19 and a residential burglary Oct. 26, both in Bethesda.

The first incident occurred around just before 8:30 a.m. Oct. 19 in the 6000 block of Broxburn Drive.

A woman told officers she was upstairs with her young child when she heard a loud noise. Looking outside, she saw a man kicking a rear door of her home.

The homeowner yelled at the man, who then attempted to force the door open using an object from the sunroom, police said. Unable to gain entry, he returned to his vehicle and left.

The woman photographed the suspect and his vehicle, providing investigators with evidence they later used to connect the two Maryland cases.

A week later, around 8:35 a.m. Oct. 26, Montgomery County officers responded to a burglary in progress in the 8000 block of Burdette Road.

The homeowner reported hearing noises inside the residence and seeing an unfamiliar man looking into her bedroom. When she spoke to him, he quickly left the house.

Security camera footage showed the suspect arriving in a white Chevrolet Equinox, looking through several windows and entering the residence through an unlocked rear door, police said.

The footage also showed him leaving through the same door carrying stolen property.

Detectives compared photographs from the Oct. 19 attempted burglary with security footage from the Oct. 26 incident and determined that the same man and vehicle were involved.

Investigators shared images of the suspect and Chevrolet Equinox with neighboring law enforcement agencies.

Read Patch's previous coverage of the Bethesda burglaries.

Following Spillino's arrest in Fairfax County, detectives executed a search warrant on the Chevrolet and recovered items stolen during the Oct. 26 Bethesda burglary, along with evidence related to the Oct. 27 Fairfax County burglary, according to Montgomery County police.

Spillino has been charged in Maryland with first-degree burglary and attempted first-degree burglary.

Separate Fairfax County Misdemeanor Case

Virginia court records also show that Spillino was charged in an unrelated case with riding a train without payment, a misdemeanor offense allegedly committed Oct. 7.

The charge was filed Oct. 22 in Fairfax County General District Court. Spillino was released on a summons in that case, according to court records.

A hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Nov. 9.

Court records list Spillino's address as Newport, Oregon, consistent with the information provided by Montgomery County police.

Spillino is presumed innocent of all pending charges unless proven guilty in court.