An accused killer who recently fled the U.S. had a history of being allowed unsupervised visits from a Virginia mental health facility. Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda, who left the U.S. on July 6, boarded a one-way flight to Tajikistan via Istanbul. His flight ticket, purchased under his name using an American Express card, led him away from Washington Dulles International Airport.
Despite facing murder charges, Toshpulodzoda was permitted temporary leave from the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute (NVMHI). On a 48-hour pass, he resided at an Alexandria apartment funded by the Fairfax Permanent Supportive Housing Program, according to court documents.
“The Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute in Falls Church had been treating Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda before his authorized 48-hour leave,” a source stated.
In 2019, Toshpulodzoda fatally stabbed Mohammad Hemmatian at a home in Vienna, Virginia. He was found not guilty of second-degree murder by reason of insanity and was committed to a state psychiatric facility in 2022. Legal examinations by both defense and prosecution experts concluded his insanity, making conviction unlikely.
In June, a judge maintained that Toshpulodzoda should not be released without further court orders. However, Virginia law allows patients in psychiatric facilities—including violent offenders—to receive short-term leave. The NVMHI’s Internal Forensic Privileging Committee approved his unsupervised community visits, up to 48 hours.
In May 2024, Toshpulodzoda secured permission to visit the Tajikistan Embassy in Washington, D.C., with an escort for passport purposes. Following his escape, Fox News Digital contacted relevant departments, including the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Homeland Security.
About a month after his departure, the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office requested an arrest warrant. A statement from the office noted Toshpulodzoda’s legal insanity verdict, which precluded trial conviction.
Prosecutors had opposed his release during review hearings in June. They ensure that a bench warrant will lead to his arrest and extradition if Toshpulodzoda returns to the U.S.