Democrats Pressed on Tajik National's Escape From Psychiatric Custody

Northern Virginia Democrats faced questions this week about how a Tajik national committed to a psychiatric facility after killing his landlord was twice allowed to leave—once to obtain a passport and once to visit an apartment—before escaping the country. Abdulloi Doniyor Toshpulodzoda had been held at a mental health facility in Falls Church, Virginia, after a court found him not guilty by reason of insanity in the killing of his landlord. According to reports, he was permitted an escorted visit to the Tajik embassy in Foggy Bottom, DC, and later to an apartment in Alexandria, where he obtained a one-way airline ticket to Dushanbe, Tajikistan. He passed through Washington Dulles International Airport and boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul, continuing on to Dushanbe. He has not returned.

Officials Acknowledge 'Failure in the System'

When asked whether the case warranted a federal investigation, Rep. Donald Beyer, a Democrat whose district includes the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute where Toshpulodzoda was housed, told Fox News Digital: "I don't know about investigation, but certainly it's a bad thing that he's not in our custody, not being subject to the laws of the United States." Beyer added: "There's a failure in the system somewhere along the way. I don't know whether it's failure to put [Toshpulodzoda] in the mental hospital or the hospital didn't have the right security to keep them there. But no, we don't want bad guys on the loose."

Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, who represents neighboring Loudoun and Fauquier counties, told Fox News Digital that U.S. law covers murder and violent crime and that those who commit such offenses "should be held accountable." He elaborated: "I've been pretty consistent that if someone's undocumented and they committed a crime, they should be held accountable for the crime and we should look into whether they should be deported at that point." Subramanyam, however, highlighted the need for case-by-case consideration: "So you know, I think that's the federal law at this point and we have to go case by case though, because not every person who commits any crime should be deported automatically, right." He stressed that for violent crimes the priority is accountability, adding, "We have to make sure we go case by case, but. In the instance of violent crime, for instance, they need to be held accountable." The congressman also referenced the case of Renee Good, an anti-ICE activist in Minnesota who was shot and killed by an ICE agent earlier this year, underscoring his call for accountability on both sides—both suspects who break the law and agents who may do the same.

A Controversial Pathway to Escape

Reports detail that in 2019, Toshpulodzoda fatally stabbed his roommate and landlord, Mohammed Hemmatian, at their home in Vienna, Virginia. Investigators reportedly found him "plotted" in blood, and he claimed guilt. A Fairfax County Circuit Court judge ruled twice that he remained mentally ill, required inpatient care, and "shall not be released from custody and inpatient hospitalization without further order of this court." Nevertheless, in 2023, the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute authorized an "unaccompanied community" visit, and on August 9, 2025, Toshpulodzoda was granted a 48-hour pass. After the pass expired, he failed to return to the facility and was classified as an escapee. His pass was revoked, and a facility warrant was issued; authorities were notified, and a bench warrant later issued; but he was not apprehended.

Fairfax County Prosecutor's Office Responds

A spokesperson for the Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney's office, Laura Birnbaum, told Fox News Digital that the office did not oppose the escorted visit to the Tajik embassy in 2024 but had successfully argued multiple times in court against his outright release. Rep. Beyer also pushed back on criticism of Fairfax County, saying he does not believe local leaders would consider it a "sanctuary" jurisdiction for illegal immigrants, and he presumed Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano was justified in having Toshpulodzoda committed to the psychiatric facility. He also argued that deportation alone would be insufficient, stating, "Deportation doesn't seem sufficient punishment for someone whose committed a major felony."

A Divided Response

The case has drawn differing reactions along party lines. Beyer focused on the system failure but did not endorse an investigation, responding "I don't know" when asked about one. Subramanyam emphasized case-by-case immigration decisions while reiterating that violent offenders must be held accountable. Neither congressman suggested the hospital's decisions were above reproach, with Beyer openly questioning whether the hospital's security was adequate.