Man pleads guilty to killing his 72-year-old landlord in their Lorton home

A Fairfax County man pleaded guilty Monday in the murder of his 72-year-old landlord, whose 2021 disappearance sparked a widespread search in Northern Virginia. Despite the plea deal, the murder of Emily Lu still leaves lingering questions.

Brian Sayrs took a plea deal in exchange for admitting that he killed Lu and concealed her body in the woods in Lorton, Virginia.

Lu vanished June 3, 2021, after a trip to an Aldi grocery store in Woodbridge. She was last seen on the store's surveillance video and was reported missing the next day, after she didn't show up to her job caring for seniors.

Over the next 50 days, police searched for her by air and on the ground in the woods near her home — where Sayrs rented a room.

Lu's car was found at her home in Lorton with her groceries still in the car. And inside her home, police said, evidence suggested she was killed there.

During the search for Lu, hers daughter, Jenny Ball, posted flyers around the community. That July, Ball thanked the community who came out to a vigil for her mother.

"We loved her and we knew that part of my mom, and I'm just glad we get to meet the other people that she cared for," Ball said through tears.

Ball was in the courtroom Monday as Sayrs agreed to a deal in exchange for his guilty pleas to second-degree murder and concealing a body. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 45 years in prison; the deal offers a range of 22 to 32 years of prison time when he's sentenced next year.

Although Sayrs stood in front of the judge and admitted to killing Lu, he has never said how he killed her, nor why.

Sayrs was named a person of interest during the search for Lu's body. Eventually, he offered to take police to the exact location where he'd left her, less than two miles from her home.

Now, News4 has learned that on the same day, Sayrs exchanged several text messages with his mother, including one in which he told her, "I love you. I have to take responsibility for my actions."

Another message to his mother said, "I just made a mistake. Jenny deserves justice."

Jenny Ball declined an interview Monday, but prosecutors told the judge she approved of the plea deal granted to her mother's killer.

Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano issued a statement saying: "Two summers ago, Lorton resident Emily Lu disappeared and wasn’t found for over 50 days, after a weeks-long search that devastated our community. To this day, we still don’t know exactly how she was killed, but we know that the individual who was responsible will face accountability for his actions. I hope today’s guilty verdict provides a measure of healing for her family and loved ones.”

Lu had lived in the area for about 30 years, her daughter said.

Maj. Ed O'Carroll with Fairfax County police said in 2021: "Emily was caring. Emily was loving and Emily was amazing. Her effort in the community is that she was caring for others."

Sayrs is due back in court for sentencing in January.