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| Virasith |
The man charged with murdering his ex-wife’s boyfriend, and attempting to murder his ex-wife, has a history of domestic violence allegations filed against him.
Police say Melissa Virasith, 40, was hit with two bullets outside her apartment fired by her ex-husband Koummane Virasith shortly before midnight April 10.
Thomas John Saunders, 38, of Lexington Park, was also shot twice in the parking lot of St. Mary’s Landing apartments, once in the head. He died from the wounds early the next morning.
Melissa Virasith and Saunders were living together in the apartment, and Melissa and Koummane’s three children were inside when the shooting took place.
Koummane called 911 and told police he shot his wife and her boyfriend. Police immediately learned there were multiple shots fired and multiple victims, and numerous volunteer ambulance crews were initially dispatched.
Upon their arrival they found the two victims suffering from gunshot wounds outside the apartment building. Koummane, 39, also was outside, and immediately taken into custody by police.
A woman who lives in a neighboring apartment told The Bay Net on the scene that she was outside during the shooting.
“I saw a car that kept driving around and around the apartments, then it finally stopped.” Then the witness says she heard four quick shots, and another single shot about 30 seconds after.
The witness saw a man, whom she described as small and white, quickly shoved into the back of one of the first police cars on the scene.
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| Saunders |
Saunders was flown to P.G. Shock Trauma where he was pronounced dead. Melissa Virasith was flown to P.G. Shock Trauma and is listed in critical condition.
St. Mary’s District Court records indicate Melissa Virasith filed a domestic violence civil action seeking protection from Koummane on June 26, 2003, and again this year on March 22.
At an Interim Hearing on March 26, District Court Judge John F. Slade III denied the requests. Court records indicate “This order is denied because: There is no statutory basis for relief.”
Koummane Virasith was charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. He was incarcerated in the St. Mary’s County Detention Center.
Detectives also made public the fact that the murdered man was a registered sex offender in Maryland, with a prior conviction for a third-degree sex offense.
BCI Commander Lt. Rick Burris, reports the investigation is continuing.
April 11, 2008
Man Says He Gunned-Down Wife and Her Boyfriend
At 11:50 p.m. Thursday, a man and a woman were gunned-down in the parking lot of St. Mary’s Landing apartments. Seconds after the shots rang out in Lexington Park, the shooter reportedly admitted to police that he just shot his wife and her boyfriend.
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