A 78-year-old man from Fair Oaks who killed his wife after she admitted to having an affair has died before the case was adjudicated.
Behruze Dorbayan died June 17 — nearly a year after telling police that he stabbed his wife of 50 years inside their home in the 3900 block of Highland Oaks Drive.
Dorbayan, who suffered a heart attack in November, had been bedridden and unable to speak for at least some time before his death. No specific cause of death was listed in his obituary, nor was it listed in court records.
His medical status worsened while in custody due to complications from diabetes and other ailments, attorney Brandon Sloane told FFXnow.
“His health had steadily declined, and he had remained under 24-hour medical supervision at various facilities,” said a pretrial release program progress report, dated June 30.
Shortly after 6 p.m. on July 29, 2024, Fairfax County police officers arrived at the couple’s home and found Karen Dorbayan suffering from stab wounds to the upper body. She was transported to Reston Hospital Center, where she later died.
Behruze Dorbayan told police that he had stabbed his wife after she admitted to infidelity in their marriage, according to a criminal complaint.
“[Dorbayan] seems pleased with himself,” a magistrate wrote in a bail determination form shortly after his arrest. “Probably not a danger to others. Shows no remorse.”
Dorbayan was arrested on the day of the incident and formally remained in police custody until Dec. 23 — a month after suffering the heart attack.
The court lifted a requirement that Dorbayan remain under house arrest and removed his GPS monitor in February of this year, presumptively so that he could continue to receive medical treatment, according to court documents.
Dorbayan had been charged with one count of second-degree murder, which would’ve carried a prison sentence between five and 40 years if he was convicted.
No trial date had been set at the time of Dorbayan’s death. The case remained under the purview of the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, with an indictment required to move the case to the Circuit Court.
Legally, what happens next is somewhat unclear since Virginia law doesn’t outline a procedure for how to handle criminal cases involving a deceased defendant. However, it is expected that the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office will file a motion not to prosecute, formally ending the case.
