Full Breakdown
Accused Murderer Leaves Virginia Mental-Health Facility on Weekend Pass and Boards International Flight
8/18/2026, 11:54:43 PM
Core Event
Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the 2019 killing of his landlord Mohammad Hemmatian, was allowed to leave the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute on a weekend pass. On July 6, while on that pass, he traveled to Washington, D.C., and boarded a one-way Turkish Airlines flight from Dulles Airport to Tajikistan via Istanbul. Court documents filed on August 5 detail the ticket purchase, which was made in his name by another party and included a window-seat upgrade code.
Legal Background
Toshpulodzoda was committed to the state behavioral-health facility in 2022 after clinicians determined he was legally insane at the time of the homicide. Under Virginia law, a mental-health hospital may grant committed individuals permission to leave the facility without escort for day or weekend passes, a privilege that can be granted as part of a graduated-privilege treatment plan.
Official Statements & Responses
The Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney’s office explained that the legal finding of insanity precludes a conviction and that prosecutors have consistently opposed Toshpulodzoda’s release, including at the June review. After learning of his departure, the office filed an August 5 motion seeking a warrant enforceable beyond Virginia’s borders and noted that a bench warrant was issued immediately after notice of his escape; the warrant would lead to his arrest if he re-enters the United States. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) declined to comment on the individual case, citing federal and state privacy laws, but reiterated that clinical teams may request graduated privileges based on clinical and public-safety assessments, subject to expert-panel approval.
What’s Next
The bench warrant remains active, and law-enforcement agencies are instructed to arrest Toshpulodzoda should he return to U.S. jurisdiction. No further public-safety measures have been announced.
