Horrible. I pray for the family and his classmates.

That would be the same park where Bryan's car was found at 3:00 am on Tuesday. The same park that police would not let us search on Tuesday. Because they did not need our help. Boy Scouts could have done a better job than the police on this one. I hope that the police - Fairfax County AND Fairfax City - learn from this and create procedures for involving the community in a worthwhile way before the next one happens.

Prayers for the family and friends.

no words can alleviate the parents pain but I hope they find comfort in our prayers. god bless.

we're all so heartsick to know someone took Bryan's life. i hope it helps his family to know that soo many are thinking of them and crying for them. <3

(please---we're all angry at the cretan who did this awful thing. it's natural to want to aim that anger at someone. this is neither the place nor the time to lash out at the police or other persons. let's use that energy to send loving words to Bryan's family instead, ok? there'll be time enough later to calmly consider what the police did or didn't do.)

My prayers go out to the family and all those who knew Bryan Glenn. May God Be with you all.

Firstly, my condolences to Bryan's parents.

The cause of death has not yet been determined. Please restrain from idle speculation on this and other media forums out of respect to his family.

"Azcarate told members of the media gathered at the scene that police could have missed the body in their search last week for a number of reasons: the initial search was not the step-by-step, grid sweep most residents think of when they hear about a police search, he said."

One question: Why was it not a standard grid search used by search-and-rescue agencies, including police, around the world?

I am crying and writing in tears as a human and specially as a mother of a senior myself. This has to be handled the way so this will never happen to our innocent children. RIP Bryan.

My condolence goes out to Bryan's family. I had Bryan on my mind since day one... Praying and hoping he was at a friends house. I can only image the pain that his family must be feeling. As a mother I hurt too!!! I am HIGHLY DISSAPOINTED at the FFX CO police. All this time that pasted... They should be ashamed!!!

i agree with all of the comments. the police should have let us search the park on monday and tuesday night, if they did then we might have found bryan alive. the police should have tried harder

Such devastating news today. I can't imagine their grief right now. I'm a WTW grad from the 90's and the only positive that came out if this is the huge community support. Sometimes living here it seems people don't care for others because of the hustle and bustle but now I know the Community does care. I will keep this family in my prayers!

Ignorance is bliss as a highschool student. Instead of blaming the police for not apologizing or recognizing they had missed something you should go out and read an article about Bryan's discovery. In multiple articles they come out and say they had had gaps in their search prosedure. So shut your mouths and keep your ignorant posts to yourself. If you really cared and weren't trying to be hip you'd be morning a loss in privacy with public support. Not publicly morning a loss while degrading the men and woman that keep you safe day and night.

You never know. Somebody could have had his body in their own home and just recently placed him, standing erect, under a tree off of the footpath.

Acually LOLCATS, they are not totally wrong, unfortunately. Possibly,you are not totally wrong either. I understand how hard Police work must be,but let me state this for you clearly.
I was there today, when Brian was discovered. At one point I was yelling at searchers who were screaming,trying to find out what was happening. One of the people I was yelling at was in-fact the Young man you are all speculating about. Please understand that because of proximity, and natural shade, he was visible, yet somehow not. In total it was less than 4 hours of real search time before he was found. The large number of us searching proved relative to his discovery.
I will not soon forget what I saw and heard today, and it is still not my place to bame anyone. Sir, the anquish in that park today was life altering for some of us that came in close proximity to Bryan. Some anger and blaming are unfortunate parts of the greiving process. At this point I feel ill, and doubt my ability to sleep any time soon. I agree with those who think the family should be everyones focus.
Everyone who actually knows the family must embrace them for a long time to come.
Some say that God does not give us, more than we can bear. I pray I am not speaking to frankly here, but some of you seem confused. I hope I have helped some understand a little better.

Sorrowfully Sumitted LDJ

I'm so so saddened by the news of locating this young man, and my heart breaks for the family. I am also extremely frustrated and angry that this young man laid in those woods for a week. The job done by both Fairfax city and county was pathetic a inexcusable. Nat thatpark is not large at all, and there is simply no excuse why this youg man could jot have been found the Tuesday his car was located had they done they're job correctly. They should he ashamed to even face this family.

Sadly nothing can be said or done to return this young man back to life. However, there lessons to be learned from this situation and the above writers have covered some of them.
The FCPD takes the lead in many cases involving missing persons and other criminal activities on public and private lands. This park belongs to the Fairfax County Park Authority(FCPA) and I find no mention of the FCPA being part of the search efforts and based on past performance on similar events my guess is that they did nothing to support any search of their property. Their culture has been one of avoidance - see no problem - do no repair. Let other authorities handle the dirty work.
Shame on the FCPA!

May your faith give you comfort in this terrible loss.

Fairfax County PD wouldn't know crime if it bit them. They're overpaid to write tickets.

All this blaming the police at a time like this. What we should all be focusing on is the loss of a beautiful boy and the deep sadness and emptiness his family, friends, and community feel. We need to pray for them. And later worry about how to prevent future similar events. I for one did not know the boy, but tears are streaming down my cheeks reading the priorities of those striking out instead of focusing on the comfort of those remaining who are in pain. The focus should be on love and assisting those in need. ie. family. If anyone reads this comment from Bryan's family or friends...let us know how we can help! You are in my prayers.
Sheryl Shane.

I knew Bryan back in Middle School. This is so sad, I think I'm still in shock.

Our society just wants to blame someone else . No, the police may not have done a perfect job but they are trying always to protect and help us. They are used to being bashed for everthing they do, just pray for the young man, and for all who helped find him. Tng.

I wonder why it took so long to search....the search should have started immediately when they found his car.... BUT, I was saddened to hear that they found his body, I was hoping her just "took off". But that area he was in, is very dangerous, <to me> if he was murdered I bet it was someone in those apts near that field. Plus you has the transients from the Lamb center, and the townhouses, that arae has just gone so donwhill in the past 20 yrs, its like a ghetto now. I'm sure there are plenty of good people who HAVE to live in that area, but there are others who just don't care about the area they live in, and have made it into the area it is today. To my knowlegde they have never had a problem with anyone from the Lamb Center, but there's always a first time. My thoughts and prayers are with this kids family. I'm so sorry it ended this way. God Bless all the volunteers too.

I'm sorry and it may not have done any good, but the oark is pretty small. The Police said that he was found in sight of the path 3/4 of a mile into the woods? They also said this was outside of the orginal search area? 3/4 of a mile is a 12 minute walk. Seriously?!?! A very poor effort by the police, very dissapointing. My prayers go to the family and friends of the boy.

I thought from the time I heard he was missing, Why isn't anyone searching the park...when there is a vehicle found the immediate area should be search, IMMEDIATELY.... call anyone who will show in that area...blood hounds, whenever a child is concerened. Yes, the trres still have leaves, but why didn't the helicopter pick up on his body heat...I hope they check the tapes from dunkin donuts, did he offer someone a ride, was he forced to give someone a ride, like I said..thats a rough area...someone HAD to have seen something... FROM this I hope they have learned to start a search team in Fairfax County...and put an immediate alert out as soon as theres a call in about a missing child, don't assume its a run away.... I do, in this case..blame the police for not responding better...Im going by the evidence Im seeing... but I will wait for the final outcome. May God Be the family of this young man...and mey we find his murderer ASAP!!

As a parent my heart goes out to the family, what devasting news.

Police need to follow certain protocol. I am not certain what they performed while doing the search. Did they test liquids for drugs. Did they take fingerprints. Did they check DNA. Did they use search dogs. What type of search did the do. How did they miss him. Could they have saved him if they had acted more quickly. These are all great questions. But shouldn't we give the family a couple of days to mourn properly instead of focusing on all the negative. Reach out to them and offer support. That is what I plan on doing!. If there are any Woodson Families reading this article....please....let's think of something positive to do to help the family. Any great ideas would be welcomed.

My heart goes out to this family. The had to FIGHT to get their son's name off the runaway list so that more action would have been taken by the police force. For the police to have missed him during the search is unacceptable. Untrained volunteers are more diligent and had more heart in the search for this young man and any county trained officer. We seriously need to stand up for our young people. This young man was in obvious pain. What are we doing to our youth?

Such a sad sequence of events...I pray that the family of this young man finds some kind of respite from the grief, and that if any foul play was involved, the guilty party is apprehended and prosecuted.

Anyone recall the countless, massive, and fruitless official D.C. police searches of Rock Creek Park for Chandra Levy back in 2001? The "authorities" simply couldn't get it done, and it wasn't until someone walking their dog many weeks later stumbled into her remains that the case moved forward. Then, even after that, the D.C. detectives failed to find additional remains and evidence just mere yards from the scene--these were found only after private investigators hired by the Levy family went over the area! (cont.')

I find it a little messed up that the police admitted they didnt do a thorough sweep of the park. If my child is missing, i expect you to inspect every inch of that park. I think someone needs to bring this to light.

To the Glenn family my condolences go out during this tough time rip bryan :(

Although I did not know Bryan, or any of his family/friends, when I head that he was missing via twitter & the news channel I hoped & prayed that he would be found alive and well. My heart aches to hear this news. My prayers are with his family & friends. So sorry to hear about this tragedy :'( Rest in peace Bryan.

everyone always as something bad to say about the police - but who do you call when someone is raping your wife or holding a gun to your head? The police DID do their job. Rest assured, they knew immediately if Bryan was in that park, he was no longer alive. Infrared search in a helicopter - how did everyone miss that when it happened right awiay? I hesitate to even put a foot in this game since it is all so wrong to use this platform as a place to lay hatred and blame. Bryan is gone. We all are sad. We feel terrible for his family. We don't yet know how it happened publicly, but shouldn't be speculating. Some know. Rest in peace beautiful boy. You are loved. I am sorry to your family. Marty, please go on knowing your brother loved you and would be very proud of how you have held up and worked so hard to bring him home all week. His memory will be with you forever.

I do not know how the police search was conducted. It is, though, apparent to me and others based on comments made at this blog that an investigative judgment or 'guesstimate' as we say in my business was imposed on the family and community from the onset -- e.g., another teen runaway case. If that runaway idea was communicated to the police searchers they may first look for evidence to confirm the judgment as opposed to looking at the family history also as a part of the scene. Having found no evidence of a runaway at the parked car scene, the next reaction is to doubt the bewildered and desperate family again and call an end the search.

Kelly, the Fairfax County Police should be called out for their incompetency, as should the WaPo for not taking the Police to task for their inexcusably bad handling of the case in their biased article this morning. A body within sight of the trail just 3/4 of a mile into the park should have been something the Fairfax County PD could find. The Boy Scouts could have done better, and probably would have if given a chance. I have a pretty good impression of the Fairfax City PD. They have always been professional and courteous, and if their Chief (Rappaport) was in charge I bet the body would have been found the next morning. And if the (award winning) Fairfax City Parks and Rec. had been asked to support, they would have kicked ass. Luckily, the GMU Police weren't involved, as they would have immediately charged a racially-profiled, innocent person with homicide without even investigating the crime. That is something to be grateful for.

Thomas Albert − (wrote this at Washington times)
With the decapitation, it is likely to be gang related, with MS 13 as the likely group that did this. We need to get an anti-gang squad into Woodson High School and start making arrests! How many others need to die senselessly due to illegals and their Latin gang?
DOES ANYBODY KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS??

good lord, that is not true. The Washington Times did not, in any way, report this. Thomas Albert was just a poster on a comments thread just as this is. Shanny, please do not post such misleading information.
Thank you, Whitney Rhodes for your stellar reporting and continued interest in the case.

OMG! There is a lot of confusion. I should say it was a comment someone made on that page. I'm so sorry

It's very sad to see how people is judging either "some areas" like the town houses or apts near the park when nobody knows what happened. It's sad to see how people is using this forum to either judge or discriminate somehow... What about if u are the one who's going through this hard situation? Or what about if u are the one who's living into the "ghetto" because its what u can afford at the moment, would you like to be discriminated because of that? Please, let's just support this beautiful family through this hard season...let's keep shining as one community who cares!! Let's join forces to embrace this family in prayer n love! Forget about social status, demographics, positions or any other that is going to separate us. God love us as we are, no matter where we live or how much we have $$ .. good nite! God bless all!

That is bull shit that the cops can't do there job

The parents put so much pressure on this boy that he committed suicide. Don't understand why W.T. Woodson is honoring him since this will just encourage more kids to do the same. In many places in the country suicide is rampant in high schools and it would be a shame if this occurred again because of W.T. Woodson's actions. Don't blame the police. The blame belongs squarely on his parents pressuring him to get high SAT scores and get in a good college.

Shanny Wild please shut the hell up and do NOT make this about race! #1 there are plenty of gangs around the world, some Latinos, Blacks, Whites, Asians. It just so happens that in our area of Fairfax County MS-13 seems to be active sometimes. Illegals? There are plenty of them in Fairfax County. It's obvious you have a racist mentality and with that being said I don't believe Fairfax County is the right place for you. Please leave because the less ignorant people we have around the better. Oh and I'm pretty sure members of the police, media, volunteers and the Glenn's family friends were of Latino decent. Where were you while all of this was going on?