Conspiracy To Commit Murder Charge Dismissed For Leesburg Man

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — A judge dismissed a felony charge against Abdul Waheed, a Leesburg man accused of driving a murder suspect to and from the scene of a homicide in Brambleton in December 2021.

The victim, 57-year-old Najat Chemlali Goode, was killed at her home in Brambleton on Dec. 28, 2021.

Waheed was originally charged with one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. A second suspect, Furqan Syed, was charged with first-degree murder, burglary with intent to commit murder, and two counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony.

Syed is still being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center. His trial is scheduled to begin on April 3, 2023.

Read more: Accessory To Murder Charges Filed Against Leesburg Man

Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman was disappointed in the judge's decision.

"Our detectives, analysts, digital forensics examiners, and crime scene investigators poured their hearts and souls into this investigation, working countless hours to ensure that Najat’s family received justice," Chapman said in a news release on Friday.

Chapman blamed the dismissal on the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney, which was responsible for Waheed's prosecution.

"The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office provided the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office with a detailed, thorough, and compelling case for trial. We are extremely disappointed with the performance of the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney, especially regarding such a serious crime, and are heartbroken for her family," Chapman said. "Our community deserves better."

"Our office is disheartened by the outcome of the Waheed trial, but respect Judge Plowman’s ruling. We will learn from this experience and continue to approach every case we handle with the utmost dedication and professionalism," Biberaj said in a statement. "The Loudoun County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office is focused on protecting the community and will continue to be diligent in that endeavor."

Chapman's statement is the latest issue in a series of confrontations between the sheriff's office and the office of the commonwealth's attorney.

In October, a murder suspect was erroneously released from the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center by the sheriff's office. The suspect, Stone Colburn, was eventually taken back into custody in Georgia.

See also: Prosecutor Blasts Loudoun Sheriff For Release Of Former Murder Suspect

"Our office is greatly disappointed by the LCSO’s recent press release that mischaracterizes the release of Colburn and their lack of accountability," commonwealth's attorney Buta Biberaj said in a statement after Colburn's release. "It attempts to mislead the public and unfairly shift the blame to our office.”