Jonah Leon Adams, 35, of Waldorf, Md., was arrested in Charles County, Md. on Friday, Nov. 18 on a fugitive from justice warrant related to the shooting deaths of his ex-girlfriend and her three children in Chester earlier that day.
Officers from Charles County Sheriff’s Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were involved in the arrest.
According to a release from the Chesterfield County Police Department, officers were called to the 4200 block of Laurel Oak Road, west of Hopkins Road in the Chester area, just before 5 a.m. on Nov. 18.
Police entered the residence to perform a welfare check and found four shooting victims. JoAnna M. Cottle, 39, Kaelyn M. Parson, 13, Kinsey M. Cottle, 4, and Jayson L. Cottle, 4, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Adams is the father of the 4-year-old twins.
Chesterfield detectives obtained warrants for Adams for four counts of first-degree murder in relation to the homicide.
Adams was held without bail during a Nov. 21 hearing in Charles County District Court in La Plata, Md., in which a judge ordered a competency hearing for Adams.
A status hearing is scheduled for Dec. 7 and an extradition hearing is set for Dec. 21.
On Nov. 22, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that JoAnna Cottle obtained 72-hour emergency and 15-day preliminary protective orders against Adams in January 2018. A permanent, up to two years, protective order was denied by a judge in February 2018.
On Nov. 18, JoAnna Cottle called the police just after 5 a.m. about an intruder. Gunfire was heard, followed by silence, according to the daily.
A candlelight vigil was held at Salem Church Middle School on Nov. 21.
