A Loudoun County jury convicted a man Tuesday of killing a woman and her adult son in Aldie, Virginia, in 2018.
Brian K. Welsh was found guilty of first-degree murder and gun charges in the deaths of Rishi Manwani and his mother, Mala Manwani. He was 32 and she was 65.
The Manwanis were found fatally shot in their suburban home in the 25000 block of Tomey Court on Jan. 31, 2018. Sheriff’s deputies were called to the house after coworkers of Mala Manwani, an accountant, reported that she had not come to work.
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Testimony during the 16-day trial showed Welsh, 41, had been with Rishi Manwani earlier on the day Welsh killed the Manwanis, prosecutors said. Welsh owed Rishi Manwani money for prior narcotics deals. Investigators previously said they did not believe his mother was an intended target.
“This case is a tragedy on every level,” Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj said in a statement.
“Our condolences are with the Manwani family,” Biberaj said. “We know that even with this conviction, there is no curing the heartbreak and trauma they have experienced and continue to endure.”
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Prosecutors said Welsh gave the gun he used to his brother, and officials were able to link it to the crime scene. Officials presented expert testimony on cellphone towers, computers, fingerprints and DNA.
The Manwani family had already suffered a tragedy related to drugs; Rishi Manwani’s brother died two years earlier of a heroin overdose, the medical examiner confirmed.
Welsh was set to be sentenced later Tuesday. He continued to be held at the county jail.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
