The name of the program involved in this investigation is ‘Youth Quest Independent Living’. This is a private program operated under ‘Intercept Youth Services’ based in Richmond, VA. The press release issued previously identified this program as a non-profit which has not been confirmed as accurate. We apologize for the confusion.
Original post
The body of Erica Janelle Hickson was found Friday afternoon in Lake Ridge.
Police reported her missing just hours earlier. Her suspected killer is now in custody and is thought to be have killed another woman earlier this year whom Hickson worked.
From Prince William police:
Hickson
Murder Investigation – On August 5 at 12:41AM, officers responded to the 12300 block of Pond Run Dr in Woodbridge (22192) to investigate a missing person. When officers arrived they spoke to a staff member of a non-profit program who reported that the victim, identified as Erica Janelle HICKSON, went missing at some point during her shift.
The victim was a counselor of the program tasked with supervising young adults housed in the complex. The investigation revealed that the victim was last heard from around 8:30PM on August 4.
A helicopter from Fairfax County Police, a bloodhound from Virginia State Police, and patrol officers conducted an extensive search of the immediate area and were unable to locate the victim around the time of her disappearance.
Lopez
Later that morning, members of the Prince William County Search & Rescue Team, in conjunction with federal investigators from the ATF and FBI, conducted a second thorough ground search of the area.
Around 1:00PM on August 5, the victim’s body was located in a wooded area near Golf Side Cir. During the investigation, detectives from the Homicide Unit developed a person of interest, later identified as the accused.
The accused resides in an apartment on Golf Side Cir near where the victim was found deceased. Homicide detectives were also able to link the accused to the death of Lizeth Yadira LOPEZ, who was also a counselor for the same program and was found dead on April 29.
The accused is a resident of the non-profit program and was known to both victims. Following the investigation, the accused, identified as Ronald Francis DORSEY Jr., was charged in connection to both deaths. The murder of Erica Janelle HICKSON is Prince William County’s 16th homicide for 2016.*
Arrested on August 5:
Ronald Francis DORSEY Jr., 19, of 3670 Golf Side Cir, Apt #402, in Woodbridge
