Accused Murderer Escapes While on Temporary Leave

An accused murderer, Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda, fled the United States in July after being granted a 48-hour pass from a Virginia mental health facility. He had previously been allowed unsupervised visits away from the facility, staying in a taxpayer-funded apartment during these leaves.

On July 6, Toshpulodzoda left the U.S. on a weekend pass. He boarded a one-way flight from Washington Dulles International Airport to Tajikistan with a stop in Istanbul. According to court records, the Turkish Airlines ticket was purchased under his name using an American Express card.

Despite being accused of murder, Toshpulodzoda received permission from the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute (NVMHI) for up to 48-hour unsupervised leave. He stayed at an apartment made available through the Fairfax Permanent Supportive Housing Program, as noted in court records.

The Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute in Falls Church, Va., where Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda received inpatient treatment before leaving on a 48-hour pass. (Google Maps)

In 2019, Toshpulodzoda fatally stabbed Mohammad Hemmatian in his home in Vienna, Virginia. Police arrived to find Toshpulodzoda covered in blood. A court found him not guilty of second-degree murder by reason of insanity in 2022, and he was committed to a state psychiatric facility.

Laura Birnbaum, chief of staff for Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, stated that two experts evaluated Toshpulodzoda’s mental state. Both concluded he was legally insane at the time of the crime. Without a disagreement from an expert for the prosecution, a conviction was unattainable.

In June, a judge ruled that Toshpulodzoda could not be released without a further court order. However, Virginia law allows temporary leave for certain patients in psychiatric facilities, including those accused of violent crimes.

Toshpulodzoda’s unaccompanied community visits were approved by NVMHI’s Internal Forensic Privileging Committee. This authorization permitted him to leave without hospital staff escort for up to 48 hours, enabling his eventual escape.

In May 2024, he was granted permission, with an escort, to visit the Tajikistan Embassy in Washington, D.C., to obtain a passport.

Fox News Digital sought comments from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Department of Homeland Security.

About a month after Toshpulodzoda fled, on Aug. 5, the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office requested a judge to issue an arrest warrant.

“Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda was found by clinicians to be insane at the time he killed Mohammad Hemmatian, a legal finding that means the Commonwealth would be unable to secure a conviction at trial,” the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office stated.

Steve Descano, the commonwealth’s attorney for Fairfax County, Va., voiced opposition to his release during annual review hearings in June. A bench warrant was immediately issued after Toshpulodzoda’s escape. If he reenters the U.S., he will face arrest and extradition to Virginia.