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Manassas Mother Awaits Grand Jury Decision in Husband's Fatal Shooting Case
A Prince William County grand jury is set to decide next week whether LaToya Crabbe, a 34-year-old mother of three from Manassas, will face trial for the shooting death of her husband, Curtis Crabbe.
LaToya Crabbe has been charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The incident occurred on October 21, 2023, at the family’s home, where the couple lived with their three children. Since her arrest, LaToya has been held in jail.
Speaking from the Manassas jail during an interview with WUSA9, LaToya shared her frustrations with the legal process. “This whole process has been frustrating and overwhelming,” she said. “My children are suffering for me being here, trying to prove my innocence, but it’s a long process.”
LaToya’s defense team and family claim she acted in self-defense. Her mother, Marilyn Martin, supports this narrative, citing alleged threatening text messages sent by Curtis two days before the shooting. One message reportedly read, “Answer my call or I’m going to go to the house and punch your mother in the face,” followed by, “I will hurt everyone in that house then set it on fire.”
The couple, married in 2019, had been estranged since August when LaToya requested a divorce. They lived in the lower level of her parents’ home with their children, ages 2, 4, and 5. According to Martin, tension escalated after Curtis was given a 30-day notice to move out.
On the night of the fatal shooting, prosecutors allege LaToya reloaded the firearm before delivering the fatal shot, an act they argue undermines her self-defense claim. However, Martin defended her daughter, stating, “Maybe she did reload and shot him as many times as it took to stop the threat.”
Martin also shared that LaToya had attempted to contact a domestic violence group the morning of the incident but was unable to get immediate assistance due to high demand. Martin believes her daughter’s actions prevented further tragedy. “She prevented those five murders,” she said.
Manassas City Police stated there were no prior domestic violence reports involving the family, but LaToya’s family maintains she was experiencing domestic abuse. Efforts to reach Curtis Crabbe’s family for comment were unsuccessful. An obituary described Curtis as a devoted father and family man who cherished spending time with loved ones.
The grand jury’s decision will determine whether the case proceeds to trial.
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