4th suspect arrested in connection with 2015 murder on North Kings Highway

Buckner (Fairfax Police photo)

An Alexandria City man has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a man across the street from Mount Eagle Elementary School last year.

Eric Howard Buckner, 23, of Princess Street, was arrested on March 22 and charged with second-degree murder in the death of Santos Zelaya in March 2015, the Fairfax Police announced today.

Buckner, along with three other men, are alleged to have broken into Zelaya’s home in the 6100 block of North Kings Highway on the evening of March 26. According to court papers obtained and reported by The Washington Post, Zelaya was shot after confronting the suspects with a machete after they had broke through the front door and held Zelaya’s roommate at gunpoint. Zelaya injured one of the suspects in the confrontation, according to the Post.

Gregory Brown, 23, of Washington, D.C. and Niziah Williams, of Clinton, Md., were arrested by Fairfax Police and charged with Zelaya’s murder last May. Brown was the getaway driver, according to the documents obtained by the Post. Both are currently being held without bond at the Fairfax County Detention Center.

Timothy Lamont Washington, 20, was arrested March 12 at his residence in the City of Alexandria and charged with second-degree murder. Washington was denied bond at a hearing last week.