Virginia
Man, 78, charged with murder, arson in fatal Virginia fire
Detectives in Northern Virginia say a man is accused of setting his neighbor’s home on fire and killing her, burning his own home down, and then filing an insurance claim.
On Oct. 24, Loudoun County Fire and Rescue responded to the Lowes Island area of Sterling, where a three-alarm fire claimed the life of a 36-year-old woman.
On Tuesday, her neighbor was arrested and charged with arson and murder.
Video shows fire tearing through townhomes. Three adjacent properties were damaged. The residents asked News4 not to share their names, but they shared their story. They said they woke up early last Friday morning, and the light pouring in from the window convinced them it was daytime.
But when they checked the clock, it was 1 a.m.
They looked out the window and saw their back porch fully engulfed in fire, burning with their neighbors’ homes. They rushed outside and heard their neighbor inside her home.
“She’s asking for help, and there’s nothing we could do,” one of the residents said.
After a couple of minutes of screaming, the voice went quiet, they said.
The Loudoun County Fire Department says 36-year-old Madelaine Akers was trapped inside her burning home and was killed.
“We saw lots of smoke coming out from that window. Lot of smoke coming out from that window, and within 3-4 minutes, we couldn’t hear her voice,” they said.
Akers lived in the townhome second from the end. The end unit was also a total loss.
After days of investigating, fire officials ruled out any possibility that the fire was accidental. After checking doorbell camera video and reviewing his car’s tracking data, the sheriff’s office arrested 78-year-old Jacob Bogatin.
He lived in the end unit, although neighbors said he and his wife appeared to move out of their home in the weeks and days leading up to the fire.
Fire investigators determined the flames started behind Akers’ unit, and they believe Bogatin intentionally started the fire.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by News4, the day after the fire, an insurance claim was filed for Bogatin’s home for more than double of what is owed on the residence that was recently foreclosed on.
Bogatin has been charged with arson and Akers’ murder.
Bogatin’s criminal case history shows a case involving federal indictments from 2003. The charges listed include RICO conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and SEC fraud.
In that 2003 federal case out of Pennsylvania, the federal government alleged Bogatin conspired with a few others to set up a fraudulent business and then allegedly take that fraudulent business public to line their own pockets by defrauding investors out of tens of millions of dollars, according to court records. Those records did not specify what the final result of that case was.
Bogatin is in a Loudoun County jail awaiting a court hearing on the murder charge.
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Virginia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 24, 2026, results for each game:
Powerball
Powerball drawings are held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 11 p.m.
13-14-16-21-38, Powerball: 14, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Saturday, June 27, 2026
Pick 3
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 3-1-5, FB: 8
Day: 7-8-8, FB: 4
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 4
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 4-7-2-1, FB: 7
Day: 7-3-4-6, FB: 3
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick 5
DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.
Night: 7-5-2-6-9, FB: 0
Day: 6-9-4-0-7, FB: 0
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Cash Pop
Drawing times: Coffee Break 9 a.m.; Lunch Break 12 p.m.; Rush Hour 5 p.m.; Prime Time 9 p.m.; After Hours 11:59 p.m.
Coffee Break: 12
After Hours: 08
Prime Time: 13
Rush Hour: 01
Lunch Break: 14
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Cash 5
Drawing every day at 11 p.m.
09-12-15-24-43
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Bank a Million
Bank a Million draws are held every Wednesday and Saturday at 11 p.m.
18-21-25-33-36-39, Bonus: 13
Check Bank a Million payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
Drawing everyday at 11:15 p.m.
03-04-10-36-37, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Center for Community Journalism (CCJ) editor. You can send feedback using this form.
If you need help with the Public File, call (540) 512-1559
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Aerial of the Cutalong course and main clubhouse at the Tributer Resort in central Virginia. The property has plans to add a second 18-hole championship course designed by Tiger Woods.
RON BLUNT STUDIO | Tributer Resort
A new Tiger Woods-designed course is coming to the Tributer Resort in Lake Anna, Virginia, a future member offering for the growing residential component in development at the destination property that in 2021 opened one of the top new courses in the state.
The second course won’t begin construction until 2028 but the project from TGR Design is part of the ambitious expansion plans from Reef Capital Partners, the ownership group behind newer golf destinations such as Black Desert Resort (UT) and Sweetens Cove (TN) that continue to gain popularity.
Situated in central Virginia, about 55 miles north of Richmond and 85 miles southwest of Washington D.C., Tributer Resort currently has Cutalong Golf Club, an 18-hole championship layout modeled after C.B. Macdonald’s National Golf Links of America. The current course was recognized by Golf Digest in 2023 as one of the Top 5 best new private courses in the U.S. and the forthcoming TGR course will provide a second distinct championship golf experience.
The routing for the new, member-only TGR Design course at Tributer Resort in Central Virginia.
Tributer Resort
Tributer Resort is evolving into a lifestyle and residential destination under Reef Capital Partners, which acquired the property in 2018, with a year-round environment rooted in golf as well as hospitality and waterfront living near Lake Anna. When complete, the community will include more than 900 residences along with multiple dining spaces, wellness amenities, lakeside recreation, curated outdoor experiences, and trail systems.
“This new course announcement represents a major milestone in the evolution of Tributer Resort and reinforces our commitment to building a premier golf destination at Lake Anna,” said Tributer Resort General Manager Ian Sikes. “Together with our existing offerings, this addition brings a new level of excitement and distinction to the club and community.”
Tributer Resort is adding more golf-centric accommodations as part of its expansion.
Tributer Resort The residential component of the resort currently includes seven golf villas and eight cottages, all of which are member-owned but available to guests interested in stay-and-play packages at the property, in addition to estate lots with golf course views. Buildout plans call for a total of 22 golf villas (four bedrooms) and 34 cottages (two bedrooms), although guests will only have access to the Cutalong course, not the new TGR Design, which will be member-only. Golf memberships, which offer priority access to both courses, are now available. There are also social memberships reserved for residents interested in the Tributer lifestyle beyond golf.
“Our vision is to create a vibrant, enduring community where resort amenities are seamlessly integrated into everyday life,” said Reef CEO Jared Lucero. “This next phase brings together thoughtfully designed residences, elevated amenities, golf, and world-class recreation.”
The existing Cutalong Course at Tributer.
Brian Oar | Tributer While the Cutalong course is inspired by strategic principles of golf’s Golden Age architects (Donald Ross and Alister MacKenzie among them), the forthcoming TGR Design course will showcase the property’s dramatic topography and natural landscape of a property where miners in the 19th and 20th centuries once dug for copper, pyrite and traces of gold. Routed through rolling farmland, mature hardwood forests and pine groves overlooking Lake Anna, the second course will stretch to 7,310 yards from the championship tees and be defined by strategic shot values and a distinct variety of holes with expansive vistas.
“A balanced mix of uphill and downhill holes, shifting perspectives, and natural landforms will ensure no two holes feel alike, creating a course that feels organic in its movement and varied in its demands,” said TGR Design President Bryon Bell, who noted that strategy, creativity and thoughtful decision-making will define the overall experience. True to Tiger’s design principles, it will challenge elite players yet remain playable and engaging for less experienced or less skilled players.
“Lake Anna provides a remarkable setting for championship golf,” added Bell, “and we’re excited to see this design come to life in a way that fully reflects its sense of place.”
The existing Cutalong Course, recently named one of the top new private courses in Virginia, during the fall.
Brian Oar | Tributer Woods and TGR Design have an existing relationship with Reef, having designed the first of two courses at the private club community of Marcella in northern Utah. Cutalong was the first golf property acquired by Reef Capital Partners, evolving –and re-branding — as Tributer, and was the launchpad for an expanding portfolio of golf developments.
Complementing the golf courses at Tributer is an 18-hole, lighted putting course (The Shenandoah Green) that’s designed as part of a social and entertainment venue adjacent to the clubhouse that overlooks the 1st and 18th greens of the existing course. Single-night and multi-night stay-and-play packages are available at the resort, providing a member-type experience within private residences. The putting green next to the clubhouse at the Tributer Resort in Central Virginia.
RON BLUNT STUDIO | Tributer ResortGolf Residences
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