A man found not guilty in a 2014 murder by reason of insanity who disappeared from his court-ordered residence returned there Wednesday, authorities in Virginia told NBC affiliate WWBT.
Chesterfield County Police said Dawit S. Seyoum, now 36, is court-ordered to remain at a mental health facility called Gateway Homes, located in the 11900 block of Reedy Branch Road in Chesterfield. He was last seen there about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. Staff realized he was missing about two hours later, police said.
Authorities in Alexandria issued a warrant for Seyoum's arrest for violating a condition of his release, Chesterfield County Police said.
How he returned to the facility was not immediately known.
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Seyoum had been charged with first-degree murder, but was found not guilty by reason of insanity, in the killing of Carolyn Cross. Prosecutors have said Cross was in her apartment preparing to leave for an out-of-town conference when Seyoum targeted her and killed her.
Following two trials that ended with deadlocked juries, Seyoum entered a not guilty plea, which the court accepted.
The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said at the time that it agreed to the plea in light of the two inconclusive jury trials.
"Ms. Cross was senselessly attacked by a stranger with significant mental health issues," said Commonwealth's Attorney Bryan Porter. "I regret that we were unable to secure a conviction in this matter."
Cross' daughter, Clarissa Davis, never spoke publicly as she navigated the devastating nightmare of her mother's murder.
Davis said she was not informed by officials that Seyoum had escaped.
Chesterfield County Police announced on Wednesday that Seyoum was missing. The reason for the delay in alerting the public was not immediately known.
