Body found in Nokesville school field ID’d as murder suspect

UPDATE: Monday – 10/20/2014, 1:02pm ET

WASHINGTON – Police say they have identified the remains of a man found in a school field in Nokesville, and neighboring schools have lifted security alerts.

Prince William County police say the remains are those of Edward Hale Jr., 35, of Glen Burnie, Maryland. He was wanted on a murder charge and police were searching for him near T. Clay Wood Elementary and Patriot High schools Monday morning.

Patriot is no longer on lock down. And the elementary students will finish the day at Brentsville High School. There will be no after school care and parents have been notified.

EARLIER: Monday – 10/20/2014, 12:18pm ET

WASHINGTON — The search for a man wanted for murder in Prince William County ended after police found a body on a school field.

A body, matching the description of Edward Hale Jr., 35, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, was found by a baseball field at Patriot High School in Nokesville, Virginia.

The search for Hale prompted security concerns at the high school and at T. Clay Wood Elementary School.

Initially, the elementary was put into precautionary lockdown mode, then students were transported to Brentsville High School where school activities continued.

At Patriot High School, school officials put the building in a “precautionary secure” status, meaning that the building was secured, and no one could enter. Outside activities were canceled.

School officials said everyone in both schools remained safe.

School officials are keeping in touch with parents and caregivers through web site, text and social media, spokesperson Phil Kavits told WTOP.

A car belonging to Hale was found in the parking lot of T. Clay Wood Elementary, according to the Facebook page for the Prince William County police.

Hale was wanted for the weekend shooting death of his girlfriend, 31-year-old Jessica Leigh Wilson, outside her home in Bristow, Virginia.

The murder was the county’s fourth homicide this year, police say.

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