VIRGINIA BRIEFING

ALEXANDRIA

Slaying Suspect Incompetent

The man accused of killing Kevin Shifflett, 8, in Alexandria more than eight years ago has again been declared incompetent to stand trial and has been returned to a state mental hospital for further treatment.

Circuit Court Chief Judge Donald M. Haddock Sr. ruled June 5 that Gregory D. Murphy, 36, is still unable to stand trial in the April 2000 slaying. Murphy is being held at Central State Hospital in Petersburg, Va.

Kevin was playing on a sidewalk with other children when he was approached by a man who cursed him and stabbed him 18 times. Two adults who came to the boy's defense, including his great-grandmother, were wounded.

Alexandria Commonwealth's Attorney S. Randolph Sengel said Murphy's next competency hearing will be Dec. 4. Murphy has been declared incompetent every six months since 2001, Sengel said.

-- Daniela Deane

FAIRFAX COUNTY

Serious Crime Up More Than 6%

After five consecutive years of decreases, serious crime in Fairfax County rose more than 6 percent in 2007, according to statistics released yesterday.

The increase was due almost entirely to an increase of nearly 1,200 larcenies last year over 2006. Larcenies and robberies reached all-time highs in the county, statistics show, while burglaries fell by nearly 11 percent and homicides dropped from 19 to 13.

Police departments measure their crime rates, in part, by seven crimes: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft. The total number of crimes in 2006 was 17,108, and in 2007 it as 18,156. In 2006, the total number of crimes was the lowest recorded in Fairfax police statistics dating to 1970, when the county population was half of the 1 million people living in Fairfax now.