Double Killing Involving Pregnant Victim In Manassas Leads To Conviction

MANASSAS, VA — A man has been found guilty in a Manassas double homicide of two women, one of whom was pregnant, the Prince William Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney announced.

On Thursday, a Prince William County jury convicted Edward Jackson Bland, 38, of Manassas, of aggravated murder of a pregnant victim to terminate her pregnancy, aggravated murder of killing more than one person, second-degree murder, carjacking and three counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The charges relate to the killings of Leann Renee Harris, 34, and Asia Payne, 22, of Manassas.

Police had first connected Jackson Bland to a carjacking on April 2, 2024 before he confessed to the double homicide, according to prosecutors. Officers had responded to a carjacking at gunpoint around 12:45 a.m. in the 8100 block of Portwood Turn in Manassas. While investigating the carjacking, police were notified by Shenandoah County deputies that they found the stolen vehicle and that the driver, Jackson Bland, confessed to killing two people in Manassas.

Prince William County Police determined the location where Jackson Bland had been before the carjacking — the Westgate Apartments and Townhomes in the 8100 block of Porter Ridge Lane. Around 5:12 a.m., Police breached the apartment door and found Harris and Payne dead with single gunshot wounds in the head. WUSA9 reported that Harris was Jackson Bland's cousin.

"This was a horrible and senseless crime," said Commonwealth's Attorney Amy Ashworth. "The defendant took the lives of two innocent people, one of whom was pregnant. The families have suffered unimaginably, and we are appreciative of their patience and support as we vigorously pursued justice on their behalf."

Sentencing is scheduled for June 4, 2026.