4 years ago
Five days into this investigation and homicide detectives aren't even sure how many people were in the house when Washington attorney Robert Wone was stabbed to death in a home near DuPont Circle. Sources say there were at least three, but there may have been four. One of many basic, but critical pieces of information is proving to be "elusive".
Evidence technicians still have control of the house in the 1500 block of Swann Street. Fingerprint dust is all over the crime scene, signaling the significance of forensic evidence in a case loaded with witnesses.
32 year old Robert Wone was stabbed to death shortly before midnight last Wednesday. Having worked late, the General Counsel for Radio Free Asia chose to spend the night there, instead of making the commute to his Oakton townhouse where he lived with his wife.
9NEWS NOW has learned the row house on Swann Street is owned by Joseph Price, general counsel of Equality Virginia, a non-partisan gay lobbyist group. Last week, DC Police disclosed the department's gay Task Force is assisting in the Wone murder case.
Several police sources have told 9NEWS NOW at least three other men, all professionals, were present inside the house at the time of the murder. Only one of them has provided a statement to detectives. The others, according to sources, have retained attorneys and declined to be interviewed. Since the end of the week, police have sought to reassure DuPont Circle residents who have been plagued by a rising number of robberies and burglaries that the slaying of Wone was not a random crime, but rather one in which he was the intended target.
The President of the DuPont Circle Citizens Association tells us even though it doesn't appear to be random, they'd like to see better cooperation.
Due to the of the lack of cooperation, detectives expect to be relying heavily on forensics to either confirm or knock-down the claims that eventually may be made by those who were present inside the house last Wednesday night. In other words, police won't be allowing anyone inside the house until they're done with it and at this time, they are being meticulous.
Written By Gary Reals
