Police said the victim and the accused teenager knew each other before the deadly encounter.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. — A 16-year-old boy has been charged with first-degree murder after investigators said he stabbed a 19-year-old man to death outside apartment buildings in the Huntington area of Fairfax County earlier this month.
Fairfax County police said the killing happened shortly after midnight on May 9 in the 2200 block of Farrington Avenue. Detectives identified the victim as Auner Chavez Diaz of Alexandria. Authorities said officers responding to reports of a stabbing found Diaz lying between two apartment buildings with multiple stab wounds to his upper body. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect left before officers arrived, according to investigators.
Police said officers were dispatched to the area around 12:15 a.m. after emergency calls reported a violent altercation outside the apartment complex. Responding officers secured the scene while detectives from the department’s Major Crimes Bureau began collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses. Authorities said the victim suffered several stab wounds and died before emergency crews could transport him to a hospital. Fairfax County police later confirmed that Diaz and the 16-year-old suspect knew one another before the encounter, though investigators have not publicly described the nature of their relationship or what may have led to the violence.
Residents in the Huntington neighborhood reported seeing a heavy police presence around the apartment buildings in the hours after the stabbing. Crime scene investigators remained at the location overnight and into the early morning gathering physical evidence and photographing the area between the residential buildings. Detectives have not released information about whether a weapon was recovered. Officials also have not said if additional witnesses were present during the stabbing or whether surveillance footage from nearby buildings helped identify the suspect. Police have withheld the teenager’s identity because he is a juvenile.
The homicide added to a series of violent crime investigations handled by Fairfax County detectives this year. Huntington, located near the southern edge of Fairfax County close to Alexandria, includes several densely populated apartment communities where police are frequently called for disturbances and assaults. Fairfax County police officials have emphasized in recent months the importance of witness cooperation in homicide cases, particularly in incidents involving young suspects and victims. Community members in the Farrington Avenue area said the killing shocked residents because the apartment complex is home to many families and young workers.
Following several days of investigation, detectives arrested the 16-year-old suspect on May 13. Police charged him with first-degree murder and transported him to the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center, where he is being held on a detention order. Authorities have not announced whether prosecutors will seek to try the teenager as an adult. Court records related to juvenile cases in Virginia are generally sealed from public view. Detectives said the investigation remains active as they continue reviewing evidence and interviewing people connected to the case. Police are still asking anyone with information about the stabbing to contact investigators or submit anonymous tips through Crime Solvers.
Neighbors near the apartment complex described a tense atmosphere in the days after the stabbing as police patrols increased in the area. Some residents said they awoke to flashing lights and crime scene tape surrounding walkways between the buildings. Others said they later learned through neighbors and social media that a young man had been killed. Fairfax County police have not released additional details about the events immediately leading up to the stabbing, including whether there was a confrontation before the attack. Officials also have not indicated whether more arrests are possible as the investigation continues.
The teenager remains in custody at the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center while detectives continue examining evidence tied to the homicide. Police have not announced a court date or released further details about possible motives in the case.
Author note: Last updated May 16, 2026.