Detectives from the Fairfax County Police Department’s Major Crimes Bureau Homicide Unit are investigating the circumstances around a body found in Burke Lake Park campgrounds this past weekend.

At approximately 3:09 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, authorities received a 911 call and dispatched officers to Burke Lake Park, located at 7315 Ox Road in Fairfax Station. Upon arrival, officers discovered Cara Abbruscato, a 40-year-old resident of Springfield, inside what they described as a “makeshift tent.” Fairfax County Fire and Rescue personnel pronounced her deceased on the scene.

According to the police, the park staff expected the campsite to be vacant and saw the tent still there. The camping space was reserved for another camper so park staff was notified and that’s when Abbruscato’s body was discovered, said FCPD Major Jeff Reiff at a press conference on Monday, Oct. 2.

During the initial investigation, the Chief Medical Examiners’ office responded to the scene and discovered evidence of trauma to Abbruscato’s upper body. An autopsy will be completed to confirm the cause and manner of death. Reiff described the wounds as “lacerations and stab wounds,” he said.

The police are holding a suspect, Rami El Sayed, who had been seen with Abbruscato at the park between Sept. 19-30. According to Reiff, they identified El Sayed on surveillance video they got at the park and confirmed the identification “based on evidence inside the tent.” El Sayed took Abbruscato’s car and they tracked it to New Jersey using the police license plate recognition system. The police in Patterson, New Jersey made the arrest. El Sayed now faces charges of Second-Degree Murder in Fairfax County related to the murder of Cara Abbruscato. He will be extradited back to Fairfax County.

According to park spokesperson Ben Boxer, this was an isolated event and there is no threat to public safety at the park. “The park is open and fully staffed and we continue to coordinate directly with the Fairfax County Police Department on all issues pertaining to public safety,” Boxer said.

Additionally, the police are asking the community to come forward if they were at Burke Lake Park campground and noticed a makeshift tent between Sept. 19 and Sept. 30.

Anyone with information regarding these incidents to call the FCPD Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 2. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477).