CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- Detectives in Chesterfield are continuing to investigate after they say a man stabbed his roommate to death inside her home.
The investigation began Wednesday night after police found 45-year-old Jessica Marshall stabbed to death while responding to a welfare call. Her roommate, 29-year-old Jacob Farnsworth, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
"It does appear he was living there. Not sure how long, but he was staying in a separate room," Capt. Michael Breeden with Chesterfield Police said.
Farnsworth has been arrested before. In 2019, he was convicted of burglary and destruction of property at Ironbridge Road Baptist Church while wearing an "I Love Jesus" hat. He was sentenced to 11 years with all 11 years suspended.
CBS 6 legal expert Todd Stone said that prosecutors will use that time to keep Farnsworth behind bars.
"Clearly, that was only a few years ago with 11 years hanging over his head. The Commonwealth can use that to keep him in place and make him serve that time while hashing out the new criminal case because the burden for show cause is only at 51%," Stone said.
At this time, police are not sharing many details about the investigation and court records are sealed.
However, Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett that it was another "house of horror". Recently, Chesterfield detectives investigating a family massacre in Chesterfield where four people, including three children, were shot to death.
"We offer them continuously. Hey, if you need to talk to someone, there's no shame in it. Everybody deals with things differently so we encourage talking to each other and an outside party as well," Breeden said.
So far, Chesterfield has had 18 homicide victims this year, a number not seen in more than three decades.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
