Police Search For Suspects In Manassas Stabbing, Robbery

MANASSAS, VA — Prince William County police are searching for two suspects in the Dec. 8 stabbing and robbery of a man at a residence in the 8100 block of Community Drive in Manassas. The victim, a 39-year-old man, reported to police that he was visiting an apartment in the area when two unknown men demanded money from him before he was stabbed in the upper body. The men fled on foot after taking an undisclosed amount of money from the victim. The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment for non-life threatening injuries.

Witnesses provided enough information to the Prince William County Police Department, who responded to the incident at 9:40 a.m. on Dec. 8, to identify one of the suspects. Detectives from the department's robbery unit obtained a warrant for the arrest of the suspect, Elmer Joel Garay Varela, 24, on charges of malicious wounding and robbery. The police have not been able to identify or locate the other suspect.

Garay Varela is identified as five-feet five-inches tall, weighing about 150 pounds with brown eyes. The Prince William County police released a photo of Garay Varela from July 2014. The second suspect is described as a Hispanic male, between 14 and 18 years old. He is believed to be about 5-feet tall, weighing 120 pounds. He reportedly has dyed blonde hair and was last seen wearing a black shirt and blue pants.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Prince William County Police Department tipline at 703-792-7000 or submit a webtip to www.pwcgov.org/policetip.