Army Sergeant Accused of Killing Virginia Cop Appears in Court Shackled, Surrounded by Officers
The deadly shooting was Saturday in Woodbridge, Virginia.
— -- The active-duty Army sergeant accused of killing his wife and a rookie Virginia cop appeared in court this morning shackled and with six officers surrounding him.
Sgt. Ronald Hamilton's first court appearance today via closed-circuit TV was for a murder charge in connection with the death of his wife, Crystal Sheree Hamilton, according to ABC affiliate WJLA-TV. Hamilton was held without bond, the station reported.
Hamilton did not enter a plea, according to WJLA-TV. Hamilton's attorney could not be immediately reached for comment.
A separate hearing was held about an hour later for the charge of murder of a law enforcement officer in connection with the death of police officer Ashley Guindon, WJLA-TV reported. This is a capital murder charge.
Hamilton did not enter a plea and he was held without bond on this charge, as well, according to the station.
"There couldn't be any worse case scenario than this, in my opinion," said Prosecutor Paul Ebert, the state’s attorney for Prince William County. "For a police officer, I always call this an officer's worse nightmare. You go to a routine call and wind up dead."
Ebert has said he'll likely seek the death penalty, The Associated Press reported. His office did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment.
Hamilton's next preliminary hearings were set for April 18 and April 19.
Saturday's deadly shooting began when Crystal Hamilton, 29, placed a 911 call.
Three Prince William County Police officers responded to the Woodbridge, Virginia, home, about 20 miles south of Washington, D.C., according to police.
But Crystal Hamilton was shot and killed before police arrived on scene, officials said.
The three officers -- Guindon, David McKeown and Jessie Hempen -- were shot almost immediately upon arrival, allegedly by Hamilton, Prince William County Chief Stephan M. Hudson said at a news conference Sunday.
A second team of officers arrived shortly thereafter and at some point Hamilton surrendered, Hudson said, coming out the front door.
Hamilton, 32, was taken into custody. Hamilton is assigned to the Joint Staff Support Center at the Pentagon, an Army spokesman told ABC News.
Police found an 11-year-old boy, believed to be Hamilton's son, at the home. He wasn't injured and was given over to family and friends, Hudson said.
Guindon, who was on her first day on patrol, died a few hours later from her injuries.
Police said Sunday that McKeown and Hempen were expected to make full recoveries.
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