Killer Found In River

"RICHMOND, VA - The body of a man found Sunday in the James River near Rocketts Landing has been identified as Hassan Ibrahim Ahmad Al-Sari, who had been wanted by Henrico County police in Saturday's fatal shooting of a Richmond woman.

"Al-Sari's body was recovered near the Rocketts Landing marina about 2 p.m.

"Henrico police Lt. Eric Owens said the state medical examiner's office has not yet notified investigators of Al-Sari's cause of death. A spokesman at the office said the cause of death was suicide by gunshot wound to the head.

"Henrico authorities had been seeking Al-Sari, 50, in the slaying of Kate L. Johnson, 40, of the 2200 block of Fourth Avenue in Richmond, who was found with multiple gunshot wounds about 10:45 p.m. Saturday in front of the Clarion Hotel in the 5200 block of Williamsburg Road in eastern Henrico. She later died at VCU Medical Center.

"Police have not released a motive for the killing but Johnson's sisters told a Richmond television station that Al-Sari and Johnson were once romantically involved.

"In April 2009, Al-Sari was charged with misdemeanor assault in an incident at Kate's Beauty Express, a business Al-Sari and Johnson apparently shared in the 2900 block of North Avenue, in Richmond's North Side. In the complaint, Johnson said she was grabbed and pulled by al-Sari, who asked her why she had not answered his phone calls. The complaint states that when Johnson left the store, he reached into her car and hit her in the mouth, cutting her lip. The case was dismissed in November."

Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch...