Prosecutors have said Cross was in her apartment preparing to leave for an out-of-town conference when Seyoum targeted her and killed her. Following two trials that ended with deadlocked juries, Seyoum entered a not guilty plea, which the court accepted. The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said at the time that it agreed to the plea in light of the two inconclusive jury trials. In an email, Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter confirmed Seyoum faces additional penalties. “Mr. Seyoum was arrested on a warrant alleging he is in contempt of a court order,” Porter wrote. “My office cannot make expansive comments about this matter because there will be a contempt hearing in the future at which my office will be representing the commonwealth.”