A 27-year-old man was sentenced on Monday to 22 years in prison for a fatal stabbing that occurred in Manassas in July 2023. The sentencing was announced by Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney Amy Ashworth.
Joshua Avelar pleaded guilty in February to second-degree murder and stabbing in commission of a felony. The charges stemmed from an incident that took place on July 9, 2023, outside a doughnut shop in the 9800 block of Liberia Avenue in Manassas.
According to court documents, Prince William County police officers responded to the scene around 10:15 p.m. for a report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, officers located a 38-year-old man suffering from stab wounds. He was transported to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Police identified the victim as Cesar Rivera Guardado of Manassas.
An investigation by the police revealed that Avelar and Guardado were involved in a physical altercation outside the business. During the confrontation, Avelar stabbed Guardado multiple times before fleeing the scene. Detectives identified Avelar as the suspect, and a warrant for his arrest was obtained. He was subsequently arrested without incident a few days later, on July 14, 2023, at a residence in Manassas.
Judge Carroll sentenced Avelar to 40 years in prison, with 18 years suspended, leaving an active sentence of 22 years to serve. Following his release, Avelar will be subject to 10 years of supervised probation.