GAINESVILLE, Va. — For the family of 33 year old Brent Hayward of Gainesville, Virginia, their grief began August 13 when DC Police found him fatally shot in the head at a gas station on Kenilworth Avenue Northeast. Their grief turned to shock when the man police suspected of that murder, Christopher Haynes, escaped police custody last Wednesday at GWU Hospital. Their shock turned to fear as Haynes continues to avoid arrest.
Terra Baiss is a friend of Hayward's mother, who did not want to speak on camera: "She's crying constantly. If she tries to talk about it, she gets so upset she starts stuttering," Baiss added, "She's so sad, she's scared to come out of her house because she doesn't know where Christopher is. His girlfriend, and himself, he lived in the same complex."
WUSA9 is not revealing the Gainesville apartment complex connected to Hayward and Haynes because Hayward's mother still lives there. We're told the two were acquaintances and neither family nor police has mentioned a motive for Hayward's murder.
Since escaping custody Wednesday at George Washington University Hospital, DC Police expanded their search, saying Christopher Haynes has connections to Stafford, Fauquier and Prince William counties.
DC Police had no developments to share Saturday, saying "the search remains ongoing." It's that wide manhunt and the fear of Haynes remaining free that has the victim's mother looking to move.
"She's needing movers because she's not able to move her stuff herself," said Baiss. A GoFundMe page has been set up for those wanting to help.