Alleged Love Triangle Ends in Murder

24-year-old Rahul Gupta has been charged with second degree murder in high school friend's death

A Northern Virginia man has been charged in the death of one of his friends, whom he told police he killed because he thought his girlfriend was cheating on him, authorities said. 

Police say a 23-year-old woman called police to an apartment at 1220 East West Highway in Silver Spring, Md., at around 3:25 a.m. Sunday. Inside the home, officers found 23-year-old Mark Edward Waugh unresponsive with what appeared to be cutting wounds.

Waugh, of Great Falls, Va., was pronounced dead at the scene. 

According to charging documents, 24-year-old Rahul Gupta, his girlfriend, Waugh and another friend had spent that night drinking and celebrating Gupta's birthday. Gupta's girlfriend called police when she woke up in the middle of the night and saw Gupta kneeling next to Waugh, who was bleeding heavily, according to charging documents.

When officers arrived, Gupta told them he thought his girlfriend was cheating on him with Waugh.

"I walked in on my girlfriend cheating on me. My girl was cheating with my buddy, I walked in on them and I killed my buddy," Gupta told the officers.

According to charging documents, Gupta told the officers Waugh had tried to harm him and his family. 

Local

Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information

GMU cricket stadium proposal scrapped

Nationals place Stephen Strasburg on 60-day injured list

Court documents reveal Waugh had multiple cuts and "defensive-type" injuries to his body. Gupta was subsequently charged with second-degree murder.

Waugh graduated magna cum laude from James Madison University in May 2012, and prior to his death was enrolled in George Washington University Law School. Gupta was working toward a master's degree in biomedical engineering at GW.

Waugh and Gupta had attended Langley High School in McLean, Va. at the same time.

Gupta was ordered held on $2 million bond Tuesday. His family tried to put up property but didn't have enough to reach $2 million.

Contact Us