Wednesday, April 17, 2013
James Sylvester Caroline entered an Alford plea Wednesday in Arlington County Circuit Court.
A 53-year-old Washington man pleaded guilty Wednesday in Arlington County Circuit Court to charges related to the shooting death of Tommy Wong, a Columbia Pike jewelry store owner, last summer. James Sylvester Caroline pleaded guilty to capital murder and the use of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was sentenced to life in prison plus three years. Caroline entered an Alford plea before Chief Judge William T. Newman Jr. That means he does not admit to the crimes, only that the commonwealth had enough evidence against him so that it was in his best interest to avoid a trial. Had the matter gone to trial, Caroline could have received the death penalty upon conviction. "This was an appropriate outcome," said Commonwealth's …
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Caroline accused of killing 52-year-old Columbia Pike jewelry store owner this summer.
An Arlington County Grand Jury on Monday indicted 53-year-old James Sylvester Caroline on capital murder and weapons charges stemming from the July 27 jewelry store robbery that left its beloved owner dead. Caroline, of Washington, was indicted on charges of use of a firearm during the commission of a felony and capital murder during the commission of a robbery. The grand jury convened at 9 a.m. Monday and heard a number of cases. The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office for Arlington and Falls Church drafted the indictments, and the lead Arlington County police detective on the homicide investigation testified. "It's just part of the process," Commonwealth's Attorney Theo Stamos told Patch. "We assessed the facts, we presented it to the grand…
38.86163
-77.09061
3219 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA
Capital Jewelers
/articles/arlington-grand-jury-indicts-caroline-on-capital-murder-weapons-charges
/locations/8405919
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Under Virginia law, killing someone during the commission of a robbery is a capital offense.
The man accused of killing a 52-year-old Columbia Pike jewelry store owner has a preliminary hearing scheduled in early October in Arlington County General District Court. Prosecutors will begin laying out evidence against James Sylvester Caroline, 53, of Washington, at 2 p.m. on Oct. 4. Caroline faces one count of first-degree murder. He is accused of deliberately and with premeditation killing Tommy Wong on July 27, according to his arrest warrant. Police say Caroline killed Wong at his business, Capital Jewelers, during a robbery. Preliminary hearings are held to determine if enough probable cause exists to send a case to a grand jury. Commonwealth's Attorney Theo Stamos declined to comment on what evidence would be presented. Stamos …
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Arlington police have arrested a 52-year-old Washington man and are holding him on a probation violation charge.
Arlington County police have arrested 52-year-old James Sylvester Caroline, of Washington, D.C., in connection with last week's armed robbery that left a beloved Columbia Pike jewelry store owner dead. Caroline has been charged with probation violation, according to a police news release. He is currently being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility in the Courthouse neighborhood. Authorities have not yet brought additional charges against the man but say in the news release that more are "expected … for his role" in the recent homicide. "Additional charges are expected to be brought forward on Caroline in relation to the July 27, 2012 jewelry store homicide that resulted in the death of 52 year-old Tommy Wong," the …
Family, friends remember homicide victim Tommy Wong.
Tommy Wong always had a kind word for everyone. Wong was found dead late Friday, the victim of what police say was an armed robbery of his Arlington jewelry store earlier that day. But his words — and actions — continue to resonate and touch the lives of people far beyond the Columbia Pike neighborhood where he worked. More than 200 people gathered in front of Capital Jewelers, 3219A Columbia Pike, on Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil in remembrance of Wong. One after another, family members, friends, customers and people who just work in the neighborhood took turns memorializing Wong, 52, of Herndon. They spoke of his generosity, his kindness and his professionalism. They told stories of the hard-working family man who lived the …
38.86163
-77.09061
3219 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA
/articles/he-always-gave-his-best
/locations/8034325
Tommy Wong, 52, was killed Friday during what police say was an armed robbery of his business, Capital Jewelers.
More than 200 people showed up on Columbia Pike on Wednesday night to attend a candlelight vigil for 52-year-old Tommy Wong. Wong, of Herndon, was killed Friday afternoon during what police say was an armed robbery of his business, Capital Jewelers. By all accounts, Wong was a hard-working family man who was known for his kindness, generosity and professionalism. The killer remains at large.
After one week, killer remains at large
Almost one week after the death of 52-year-old Tommy Wong, his killer remains at large. Wong was killed Friday afternoon during an armed robbery of his Columbia Pike jewelry store. Investigators describe the suspect as a man in his mid-50s, about 5 foot, 7 inches tall with a medium build. He was wearing a bright yellow traffic vest at the time of the attack. Detectives on the Arlington County Police Department's eight-man homicide/robbery unit are leading an intense investigation and doing "whatever it takes" to apprehend the man, police Sgt. Rick Rodriguez said. The department is putting every resource behind the case, Rodriguez said following a candlelight vigil Wednesday night in front of Wong's jewelry store on Columbia Pike. In …
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Vigil is from 8 to 9 p.m. in front of Columbia Pike business.
A candlelight memorial will be held tonight for a 52-year-old jewelry store owner who was killed at his Columbia Pike business late last week. The memorial will be from 8 to 9 p.m. in front of Capital Jewelers, 3219A Columbia Pike, between Walter Reed Drive and Glebe Road, according to signs posted at the store. Police found Tommy Wong of Herndon dead late Friday at the jewelry store. His family called police after they were unable to reach him. Investigators believe Wong was killed during an armed robbery by a man wearing a yellow reflective vest at about 4 p.m. that day. Wong, by all accounts, was a kind-hearted, hard-working family man. His son described him that way to The Washington Post. His daughter told WUSA that "He worked hard …
Jerome
7:43 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
The problem with characterizing people based on your reaction to their appearance is that history's greatest mass murderers have often been dapper pleasant looking people. And, some pretty homely folks have been among our greatest world citizens. I am glad that the Arlington Police Department is saying very little about this. I am really tired of stories in which the press spills everything they … more ›