A 21-year-old man was beaten at a party by a mob of 10 to 15 people and then stabbed on the night before he was found dead in his family's home in Centreville, Va., according to search warrants filed by Fairfax County police.
Detectives did not detail why the friends apparently did not seek medical care for the man. A neighbor identified Lee as a student at George Mason University.
The party began the evening of April 23 at a home in the 12600 block of Oxon Road and continued into the next morning, according to the search warrant. At some point, a witness told detectives, a mob stomped, kicked and punched Lee while he lay motionless on the kitchen floor. The search warrant does not explain what prompted the attack.
The witness also identified one person alleged to have taken part in the beating. Detectives tried to the interview the man at his home in Lorton, Va., on two occasions, but he refused to leave his bedroom and shouted obscenities at them, according to the search warrant.
Police later obtained a warrant to search the man’s home for items related to Lee’s death and other evidence in the case. The Washington Post is not naming the man because he has not been charged.
A second search warrant was executed April 24 at the house where the party occurred. Police seized dozens of items, including cigarette butts, shot glasses, beer cans and other trash.
On Friday, Fairfax police released a photo of people who attended the party and asked for the public’s help in identifying them.
The state medical examiner ruled last week that Lee’s death was a homicide and that he died of a stab wound to the chest.
A Fairfax police spokesman declined to comment on the search warrants and said no one has been arrested in Lee’s killing. The investigation remains ongoing.
Last week, a woman at the address where Lee was found dead declined to comment, and his family has not returned calls for comment.
The youth group for the Open Door Presbyterian Church in Herndon posted on Facebook that Lee was a member.
“It was shocking news for the pastors and to many [youth group] volunteers,” the post said. “Many of you have known Steven as a friend, older brother and even as a small group leader.”
His funeral was held at the church April 28.
