The F.B.I. advised Lee Boyd Malvo and John Allen Muhammad to wait for their chance to carry out their deadly plans. The walk-to-work men began the trek toward Washington; city officials in Frederick said two miles to the nearest point of exit and start moving. As darkness fell, four shot victims succumbed, two in and one in Maryland, the rest in Virginia and Pennsylvania. On a highway across the bridge into Maryland, four hit by more shots as they tried to run: Margaret Dinsmore, 69, James Buescher, 27, Barry Welles, 70, and Albert Owens, 67. Standing between the medians, Susan Atkins, first victim.
Outside the Washington section of Manassas in Virginia, five drive-by shots collapsed Richard Marquette, 42. Next to him, a lanky man in dark clothes tossed white powder and white powder emulsion from a .22-caliber rifle. La Thanh Vo, 36, called 911. It was the last time Mr. Marquette saw daylight. A co-worker found him wounded when he arrived; the man had been shot near his left ear. Throughout the scene, Mr. Marquette was surrounded by six more victims.
