ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A mother and her 3 year old girl were murdered in Alexandria and police say the girl’s father, 34 year old Simon Bahta Asfeha, is the suspect.

It happened Sunday morning at a high-rise apartment complex on 300 block of South Reynolds Street in Alexandria’s West End.

Police believe Asfeha is still in the area because he has lots of family ties here. Detectives say it was an incredibly brutal crime.

It happened on the 14th floor of the Brent Place apartment complex.

Police found 27 year old Sebel Tessema and her 3 year old daughter dead. Sources say both had their throats slashed. Neighbors could not stomach the horrible crime.

“It’s crazy. It’s crazy. I mean I look out and saw it blocked out. I came down they told me a mother and daughter. It’s crazy,” said neighbor, Serena Wright.

Alexandria Police believe 34 year Simon Bahta Asfeha killed them both. Detectives say neighbors knew something was wrong and called 911.

Police arrived moments after the double murder and found a knife tossed in the bushes outside.

The suspect who is the little girl’s father got away.

“A neighbor called in. They heard noises in the hall way of the apartment complex and called police. That’s how we got the call initially as a domestic disturbance,” said Jody Donaldson, Commander of Communications Division Alexandria Police.

Murder is rare in Alexandria but a double murder involving a toddler is tough even for police.

“It’s a very traumatic scene for the officers to be the first ones arriving to the scene and walk in and find that. These are things they don’t want to see on their day to day job,” said Donaldson.

Now as police try to figure out a motive, neighbors-especially with young ones in their family say, if true, they will never understand how someone could kill their own child.

“To take it out on your own child, that is rough. I’m not sure the case. If it is, it’s rough. I can’t see anyone doing that,” said Dominick Blakeney, a neighbor.

The suspect last seen driving a 1999 silver Acura with Virginia plates –XKS-1522.

Neighbors say there was an ongoing custody issue over the little girl.

Police say the two parents did have a relationship in the past.