State of Sleep?

Could Robert have slept though everything that night?

For nearly four years, and especially after the original affidavit was published, the state of mind of the defendants on the night of the murder has been discussed ad nauseum.  The basis for these discussions have been the defendants’ statements made at their home and at the Violent Crimes Branch in Anacastia.  Yet, sadly and obviously, we don’t have much about Robert’s state of mind from that night because he was the victim.

With the defense offering that Robert died while asleep, let’s see if this situation is more or less consistent with the evidence available to us and the defendant’s statements.  For the purpose of this exercise we assume the defendants statements are true, and even some of the evidence, like Robert’s unsent blackberry e-mail message, are true as well.

According to both Joe and Dylan, who both greeted him upon his arrival, we hear that Robert is hot.  He is offered a glass of water, chit-chat conversation occurs.  He wants to take a shower; he is shown the guestroom and the shower.  Robert takes a shower.  If he takes a shower before the e-mail’s, it is awfully quick and he is back in his room afterwards to compose them.  If not, he composed the e-mails, took his shower, then retired to his bedroom.  Dylan states that he heard Robert take his shower and then return to his room and close the door “latch.”  This description seems to indicate that Robert locked the door to the guest room.

What happened next?

It would seem then that Robert went to bed.  While two of the three defendants took some sort of sleeping aid, there is no word as to whether Robert did.  Because Robert was not sleeping in his own bed, would he have fallen asleep as quickly and deeply as the defendants since they were at their own home and on sleeping medication? If he didn’t, and also because the guest room is NOT underneath the air conditioning unit, which Joe noted as the reason why Dylan wouldn’t have heard anything, there could be a good chance Robert was awoken by the chimes of the intruder entering the home.  If he was awake now, there seems to be an even better chance he could have heard the unknown intruder scale the stairway. He would be more alert now.

Even if he did  sleep through this, the chances increase that we would have certainly been awoken when the intruder opened the door, especially since defendant Ward claims it was locked.  If that is the case, then he would have immediately recognized that the intruder was unknown to him, and would have instinctively fought back.

If this is the case, then the idea that Robert was asleep when he was stabbed certainly seems less likely.  But let’s assume that he slept through the intruder breaking the “latch” on the door and opening the door to his room.  Now, we have to figure out how the intruder actually inflicted the wounds.  If the intruder was holding the knife the way it was designed to be held, the intruder would have needed to walk around the bed, again without waking the sleeping Robert, probably need to put at least one knee on the bed to balance him/herself, so that they would have enough strength and power to inflict the first wound needed to puncture the chest plate into the heart.

The dubiousness of this story is underscored by Kathy Wone’s testimony about her questioning of the three housemates when they paid her a visit at her home shortly after the murder.  She asked, “Did you hear Robert? He would have fought back.”  For a man who slept with a baseball bat under his bed, who was known to be street-savvy by carrying two wallets, he would have more than likely been awoken, if not by the chimes, but most certainly when the intruder entered his room.

The only way the intruder theory works with the evidence available to us is if Robert was asleep when he was murdered.  It is obvious there were several opportunities that could have awoken him from the chimes, to the intruder scaling the stairs, to, most importantly, the opening of a locked door.  All this makes it seem very unlikely he was sound asleep when he was stabbed. — Posted by David

0 0 votes
Article Rating
184 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago

“This description seems to indicate that Robert locked the door to the guest room.”

I’m willing to give Dylan the benefit of the doubt here and assume that he just meant that he heard the regular old door bolt (whatever it’s called) snap into place. You could then ask, “What’s the difference between hearing a door closing and hearing a door latching?” The sound of the door closing would be the creaking of the hinges (It’s an old house, right?), and the sound of the “latch” would be the bolt falling into place.

“All this makes it seem very unlikely he was sound asleep when he was stabbed.”

And WHILE he was being stabbed. And immediately after he was stabbed.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

I concur, BillO. In fact, my family uses “latched” or “closed tightly” to indicate exactly that. Latched and locked were two different things for us. Maybe they were for Dylan, too.

WhatACase
WhatACase
13 years ago
Reply to  Carolina

Agree that hearing the latch isn’t the same as hearing Robert lock the guest room door (haven’t been able to find anything in the docs that answer question of whether the guest room/office door even had a lock).

But if Robert had gone to sleep, why would he have lied down on top of the sheets, when his usual habit, per his wife, was to get under the top sheet?

It’s just very difficult to craft a defendant-friendly version of events. Perhaps the trouple drugged Robert with the kitchen water in order to molest him later, but the “intruder” intervened first and killed him first? Ridiculous, I know, but what else is there? An intruder who threatened robert, made him submit to being drugged and restrained, and then stabbed him, all without being heard by anyone? Again, ridiculous. Can anyone paint a rational scenario that helps the defendants? Their story really seems designed to avoid conviction beyond a reasonable doubt, rather than to be believable.

Clio
Clio
13 years ago
Reply to  WhatACase

Why then would an intruder pick that (or any) latched (or locked) door when there were plenty of goodies (and possibly residents) that were not behind latched (or locked) doors? Did Dyl latch or lock his door before the Lunesta kicked in? Did Victor and Joe do the same after flipping channels to Spike TV?

DonnaH
DonnaH
13 years ago
Reply to  Clio

Victor told his interviewing detective that when he went to bed, Dylan’s door was closed, and he further noted that “we all sleep with our doors closed, anyway.” Moreover (per Victor) Joe apparently felt this needed emphasis that night, closing the door behind him when he came in to the bedroom to watch TV with Victor and saying “I think it keeps the cool air in if you close your door.” (Search “Victor third degree” for police interview; check p. 19)

Have to wonder why Joe made such a point of closing the door that night and rationalizing it if it’s their usual habit anyway. It suggests he had plans he didn’t want to let Victor in on.

Passerby
Passerby
13 years ago
Reply to  Clio

this raises an interesting question: since the general consensus seems to be that there were clearly items throughout the house (e.g., on the first floor) that could have been (more) easily stolen, especially by a random burglar (i.e., rather than someone who might have been more familiar with the house), and the assumption therefore becomes that it wasn’t a random burglar but rather, someone who knew where they were going and why…might it be worth considering that Robert wasn’t the target (e.g., of any type of planned assault) but that the intruder happened upon Robert when he went into the guest room looking for something–and that something might be (at least partially) the reason why the defendants may have acted in what may seem like a less than straightforward matter?

point is, regardless of which side of the fence everyone’s falling on, it still seems like something’s missing from the story. granted, even if there is indeed “something” the intruder was looking for which the defendants didn’t want exposed (for whatever reasons) which provides some kind of motive, maybe it’s just a macguffin, but it might change the way the situation is looked at (e.g., by allowing more objective focus on the facts and less distraction on borderline scandalous speculation).

just a thought, especially for the veterans of the board…

Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago
Reply to  Passerby

Several people have speculated that there may have been a stash of drugs in the guest bedroom, and that’s what the “intruder” was after. That theory is not entirely consistent with the crime scene and the autopsy (i.e., the lack of movement), but let’s assume for the moment that this theory is correct. The “intruder” would have to be someone who knew where the stash was, and that limits it to a rather small number of people. And it means that the defendants are pretty much all guilty of the current charges. They’re basically protecting a murderer so that people don’t find out about their illegal drugs. They should’ve cut a deal years ago.

Passerby
Passerby
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

agreed that the theory isn’t offered to prove their innocence (or for that matter, guilt) of obstruction of justice; rather, offered to try to look at the evidence in a different light. (seems to be a completely different scenario–albeit with the same result–if we’re talking about one of the 3 defendants (or somebody they know) being the murderer vs. them really not knowing what happened but covering up to protect other interests. doesn’t make it defensible, but certainly changes the viewpoint.)

but you’d think that it would be something more than just a “stash of drugs” that would compel the defendants to cover up evidence/the crime scene in the first place.

again, just an idea floated to consider a different perspective during this upcoming week off–

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Passerby

To be fair, I don’t think there are many alternative theories that haven’t been discussed. The reason you see only a few in the last month or so is that most of us have had years to think of, discuss and discard them.

The one you propose, as BillO said, has been talked about and it just doesn’t hold water. A burglar comes for Item X and finding Robert asleep there instead, stabs him. Why? You came to steal something so important you’d risk getting nailed for murder? And you’d be so stealthy that you would not wake him, even when you plunged a knife into his chest three times?

Tarfunk
Tarfunk
13 years ago
Reply to  Carolina

And you’d have to anticipate someone being in the guest room, else why would you grab a kitchen knife on your way up?

Passerby
Passerby
13 years ago
Reply to  Tarfunk

Fair points, Carolina and especially Tarfunk (and I admit to not having combed over each and every shred of evidence and being somewhat new here, so thanks for your patience). But as to why an intruder–there with a purpose–might stab a “somebody” they ran across in the guest room (i.e., target), things that come to mind include (i) panic (where the intruder is thinking less about consequences of murder but more, panicking that someone–particularly if it’s someone who knows you–catch you redhanded; a la, if you’re an intruder that’s known to the housemates and you’re there to take something from the room, but unexpectedly find somebody you know in the room (who you know will tell the housemates), incapacitating that unexpected guest gives you a chance to make it out with whatever you came for without the housemates knowing… if you can get away with the murder), and (ii) being under the influence. (Which, I admit, both still bring us back to Tarfunk’s point—why would such intruder have a knife on hand?)

But admittedly, this ventures even further into devil’s advocate territory, and is all just as speculative as any other theory.

Sorry, I’m just trying to figure out what’s missing from the picture… and I don’t know if it’s as sensational as it’s been made to be in some theories…

Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago
Reply to  Passerby

Also along this line of thought: Didn’t Dylan Ward say in his statement that his brother had spent the night in the guest room a week or so before the murder? Do we know anything at all about him?

mia
mia
13 years ago

I thought about this too. From the autopsy report, you could see that there were 2 stab wounds on the center and the right side of his chest. Another one was located at the center of the abdomen area. And also from the blood pattern on the sheet, it seems he was laying at the middle of the bed. Not quite sure, but from the picture, I believe it was at least a full size bed.

NYer
NYer
13 years ago

David, I had posted this question earlier – if Robert had been asleep, could there conceivably be no defensive wounds in a cardiac tamponade scenario? I take it, from Lawmed’s response, that this hypothetical is not possible, and that Robert would have to have been drugged. (Lawmed, correct me if I misstated you.)

David’s post seems to reject this supposition; in effect, that it IS possible for Robert not to have defensive wounds if attacked in slumber. Are you relying on particular testimony/or evidence for this position, David? I’m just not sure if I missed something here. Thanks.

Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago
Reply to  David

“If there was cardiac tamponade which caused the heart to stop beating immediately, as in one second after receiving the puncture, then it seems possible there would be no defensive wounds.”

I don’t think this is accurate. Even if the heart stopped beating immediately, it would take several seconds for lack of blood flow to the brain to lead to incapacitation.

Bea
Bea
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

I’m not a medical person, but it would seem even if Robert was SO deeply asleep that he had no warning before the knife was thrust into the heart (as the first blow) then still the body would react with the arms forward to ward off the attack. Meaning that it’s reflective. And even if he died before he could get a piece of the attacker (stratches, a blow, etc.) seems that there would have been some sign of movement so as to cause fishtailing. Again, not medical, just layman-logical.

Hoya Loya
Hoya Loya
13 years ago
Reply to  Bea

Exactly, agree Bea. Tamponade may have occurred and it may account for significant internal, as opposed to external bleeding, and a lack of movement with the second two wounds, but it seems extremely unlikely to have occurred via a sudden unexpected attack by an intruder on a previously non-incapacitated Robert with a very lucky first stab without any sign of a struggle or reflexive action.

Lee
Lee
13 years ago
Reply to  Hoya Loya

If the first stab caused tamponade and almost immediate death, why would an attacker go on to stab Robert two more times?

Clio
Clio
13 years ago
Reply to  Lee

Well, in that scenario, the attacker did not know for sure that Robert was dead.

Thus, this led to the “overkill” of three stab wounds. Yet such “overkill” itself suggests a close relationship between the victim and victimizer, and the only person who was close to Robert in that house was Mr. Price.

DonnaH
DonnaH
13 years ago
Reply to  Clio

Interesting point, Clio, on the “overkill” implying a close relationship. Up until now, I’d thought it most likely that the three wounds were inflicted by three people–Joe, Dylan, and most likely, Michael–as a way of cementing mutual responsibility for the killing, at Joe’s direction. But your point makes psychological sense, and still leaves the other(s) feeling culpable (for the OD he/they thought they’d inflicted) and loyal to Joe.

Lyn
Lyn
13 years ago
Reply to  Lee

Good point. And we don’t even know which stab wound was first. So even if the tamponade happened, it might have happened only after the third stab. If this was the case, it wouldn’t explain the lack of blood flow/movement after the first two stab wounds.

susan
susan
13 years ago
Reply to  Lyn

If he was sleeping (which I agree with the editors he was likely not) why would the “intruder” stab him? Why not go on and check other rooms, etc. Why not grab the Blackberry and run? Why not do a host of other things? Why stab him?

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Lee

It wouldn’t cause immediate death. In fact, there was still electrical activity in the ambulance, at least if the EMTs weren’t trained to record it as such even if the patient is already deceased.

chilaw79
chilaw79
13 years ago
Reply to  Hoya Loya

It was interesting to note that Wikipedia cites an article written by the famous heart surgeon, Michael DeBakey, on cardiac tamponade.

I buy the cardiac tamponade explanation given the amount of blood reported as being present in the autopsy report. I don’t think there is enough evidence to support suffocation. However, at least one of the defendants reported a “lot of blood.” Together with the strange blood patterns, the movement of the knife, and the absence of the towel that was being used to put pressure on the wound, I do think there is a cover-up. I think there may be more than one crime being covered up (one or more assaults, drug use, plus the murder).

I don’t think Wone was sleeping, unless drug-induced sleep counts. Again, that supports a cover-up.

Fitting all this into the elements of the crimes alleged is the hard part, even if reasonable inferences are drawn. I think the only thing that will really make this case is if one of the defendants talks.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  Bea

Bea, I have seen you refer to fishtailing before. Can you explain what that means? Thanks, E

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Elizabeth

Fishtailing is the “tail” left by a knife when the live victim moves while the knife is at least partially in the flesh.

CDinDC (Boycott BP)
CDinDC (Boycott BP)
13 years ago
Reply to  Bea

Bea,

I believe during the ME’s testimony she did say that he would have reacted (if he were not incapacitated by a drug.)

lawmed
lawmed
13 years ago
Reply to  David

Regarding ‘gushing’ vs ‘seepage’ of blood, my comment was that there would not be an external gushing of blood outside the body. But the cardiac tamponade would likely occur rapidly with each beat of the heart pushing blood into the pericardial sac. I would not use the wording ‘seep’ or ‘seepage’ to describe it. It would be a serious bleed and immediate life threat. Blood WOULD be gushing into the chest and abdominal cavities. The description of the heart wound is less than optimal for us to determine how much of the aorta was involved precisely. It says the knife entered the heart at the aortic root. Did it lacerate the aorta and by how much? The first page brief description of the wounds on the ME report says stab wound to the aorta. The wound is at the point where the aorta meets the heart, but could significantly or minimally affect the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery in the body and HUGE amounts of blood would escape from such a wound into the pericardial sac and the chest cavity very rapidly.

There is no way Wone could have simply slept through the attack. His ability to defend himself would rapidly lessen however, with his blood pressure plummeting from blood loss and tamponade. Enough blood to cause fatal tamponade was present in the pericardial sac on autopsy. As i said before, even when the heart stops beating…in any of us…there is up to a 45 second period of consciousness, unless your brain is injured. His heart would not stop instantly upon being stabbed. But 1-2 minutes is a reasonable argument in my view. And when we say ‘stop beating’ what is really meant is ‘stop effectively pumping blood’ since the heart continues to beat in tamponade, but it cannot effectively contract to take in and pump out blood…as if a fist was wrapped around it. But on EKG there would be an electrical pattern which may even be essentially normal in its characteristics. Only after the heart is starved of blood circulation by the tamponade for a period of minutes does it stop beating.

Hoya Loya
Hoya Loya
13 years ago
Reply to  lawmed

lawmed:

A couple more questions for your eventual report (or now if you have time):

Would pericardial tamponade necessarily have resulted from Robert’s wounds? Is it possible that it may not have occurred?

Would tamponade have been assumed by the ER staff, given the chest trauma, and hence the insertion of the chest tubes (in other words a standard precaution under the circumstances), or is it something that can be quickly identified or diagnosed? Would those attending in the ER have noted it in their records, or would the overall lifesaving efforts have taken precedence over establishing the presence of the condition?

What evidence is there to support the diagnosis, contrary to that of the ME, that tamponade was the cause of death? I gather the nature of the wound, Robert’s prone position and the presence of blood in the pericaridial sac — anything else we should note?

I think you’ve done a good job of clarifying the slumber/instantaneous death issue for us.

Thanks!

tucsonwriter
tucsonwriter
13 years ago
Reply to  Hoya Loya

From my recollection of the ME’s testimony – death was by stabbing because there was evidence that Robert Wone’s heart kept beating long enough for him to have digested the blood released into his body in his stomach. In other words his heart pumped long enough to keep pumping blood and his internal organs kept functioning long enough for blood to be partially digested by them… which rules out tamponade and an overdose.

Also there was evidence of suffocation as from a pillow in his eyes. I can’t recall the exact terms the ME used but she describe two separate injuries in his eyes that would result from some form of suffocation. Not to mention all the needle marks.

BadShoes
BadShoes
13 years ago
Reply to  NYer

I always thought there was something potentially revealing about the killer using a knife as a murder weapon. There are a lot of ways to kill people who are sleeping or incapacitated. Knife murders are close-up, personal, intimate, and messy. It suggests (to me) a powerful personal connection–rage or hate or love–strong enough to overcome the killer’s natural inhibitions.

OTOH, if the killer has no peronsal feelings, and is simply doing a job, then a knife presents some practical problems:

–The murderer can reasonably expect “blood everywhere.” Nobody would stab a person in the heart, living or dead, in the expectation that a cardiac tamponade would restrain the bleeding. The killer should expect to be covered in blood, and to leave a blood trail departing the scene.

–The murderer can reasonably expect a sleeping person to struggle and/or cry out. The person with the knife will always win in the end, but ought to expect a ruckus, which means (for an intruder) further confrontation and hot pursuit of the prospectively blood-covered intruder.

–Wouldn’t an assassin bring his own tools? Many people’s kitchen knives are really dull, and who would want to fumble around in the dark looking for a suitable weapon?

–A big, dull, kitchen knife might be okay for intimidation, but it would be a poor weapon against someone who was resisting, and an intruder can’t count on no resistance.

This seems, to me, yet another example of a set of inferences suggesting premeditation and incapacitation. The killer doesn’t seem worried about screams, struggles, confrontations, and hot pursuit. Maybe the killer knows Mr. Wone is incapacitated, not just sleeping. Maybe the killer has a plan for preventing blood splatter, which would be much more feasible if Mr. Wone were incapacitated.

ramknts
ramknts
13 years ago
Reply to  BadShoes

Interesting. Thanks for drawing our attention back to the raw details of the case. If the defendants did commit the murder, the sheer fact that they chose to stab Mr. Wone is evidence of their state of mind at that time. It also speaks to the severity of the crimes or actions committed premortem.

Like you said, stabbing is very violent yet also intimate. I agree that they would have preferred it if they knew the victim was incapacitated or would not struggle.

If they were trying to stage the crime scene for the intruder theory, they most likely thought stabbing was a more likely ‘intruder’ act.

Bill 2
Bill 2
13 years ago
Reply to  ramknts

It’s more likely they were staging the crime scene to take place in an empty lot (Plan A) and probably didn’t have a gun. The knife was probably the only available weapon as they prepared him to be taken from the house. And then there was a scream.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  ramknts

Guns are loud and leave ballistics to be traced.

Nyer Wants Justice
Nyer Wants Justice
13 years ago

The defendants did not see or hear the intruder but they are sure that he came in and left through the back door. Why? because they supposedly heard the chime.
My question is – does the front door also chime when opened?
If so, there is no way they could know for sure that he came through the back. They insist the patio door was ajar, but maybe it was opened by the intruder once he was in the house.
If the front door also makes a chime, I think there is no way they can be sure the intruder came through the patio. It would seem this theory was to deflect attention away from the locked front door and someone who needed a key to enter.

Bill 2
Bill 2
13 years ago

According to testimony that claims sound travels easily through the house, wouldn’t the chime have sounded when the “ninja” entered? That would be a clear indication that the house has an alarm system. A real intruder is not going to continue into an occupied dwelling if he knows a chime/alarm has sounded.

chilaw79
chilaw79
13 years ago

If the back door was ajar, why would it chime if an intruder entered (or exited) that way? I find it surprising the door would only chime once (unless entry came through the front door).

Does anyone (besides me) find it a little strange that Wone would be wearing both gym shorts and underwear? I can understand wearing gym shorts as an overnight visitor (who may need to go to the bathroom down the hall), but I don’t think most men wear two bottom layers in bed on an evening hot enough to have on the air conditioning. I certainly would not put on underwear I had been wearing all day after showering. Did Wone have two (or more) sets of underwear with him? What pieces of clothing are in the police inventory for Wone?

Bill 2
Bill 2
13 years ago
Reply to  chilaw79

You’re right about no chime if the door was ajar. I had thought the door was simply unlocked and not ajar. At the same time, I figure a story about the door being ajar would just be another part of their elaborate scenario and has no basis in fact.

CDinDC (Boycott BP)
CDinDC (Boycott BP)
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill 2

the defendants indicated hearing 2 chimes.

If teh door was truly left ajar, it seems there should have been 1 or 3 chimes, not 2.

open by intruder (chime 1)…not closed, but left ajar on departure

or

opened by intruder (chime 1)….closed by the intruder (chime 2)….opened again (chime 3)…left ajar on departure.

But did’t Dylan say that he saw the door was unlocked from across the room? Not ajar?

Who said ajar and who said unlocked?

chilaw79
chilaw79
13 years ago

Let’s see. I see that the downstairs tenant said that the defendants often left the back door unlocked. She also testified that she found the back door unlocked on the afternoon of August 2. (If I were her, I would have locked the back door at that point.) The various summaries all say “unlocked” as opposed to ajar. When the defendants heard the chime, they thought it was the downstairs tenant returning. On the other hand, when they heard the grunts/low screams, they went to Wone’s room.

On the other hand, if the defendants are so concerned about crime in their neighborhood and people climbing over fences, why leave the back door unlocked? Chimes or no chimes. I understand the defendants were grilling in the back yard. Under those circumstances, I ordinarily do not lock the back door and simply leave it unlocked until I am done grilling. However, when finished, I lock up. Of course, having an unlocked back door helps support the intruder theory (although it does not explain why the intruder picks up a knife and goes directly to Wone’s room.)

My security system beeps when a door is opened or closed. If a door is left ajar, the beeping does not persist. Also, the door does not beep simply because it is unlocked. There are motion detectors in various spots. However, it does not sound like the defendants set any alarms. What sort of security system did the defendants have?

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  chilaw79

The back door was unlocked because off that convenient spider Joe saw. If only we could track the arachnid and get a statement…

Bea
Bea
13 years ago

CD, I believe that (in the interrogation) Joe stated that the chime sounds only upon “reopening” – meaning no chime when closing, just opening.

Carol
Carol
13 years ago
Reply to  chilaw79

I also have found it strange that Robert had on shorts over his underwear when he supposedly was asleep. It really makes no sense.

Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago
Reply to  Carol

I always wear underwear under my shorts, even running shorts (which are designed to be worn without them). It’s just a personal preference, much like boxers or briefs. I would only consider it odd if he wasn’t wearing underwear, and his wife said he usually did, or vice versa.

chilaw79
chilaw79
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

Don’t want to get too personal here, but is this true when you are going to sleep?

On the other hand, I thought what the defendants was wearing was a little strange, too. Price, as I understand it, was wearing shorts when the EMTs arrived and later the three defendants all were wearing white bath robes. If I had police officers at my home, I would wear more than a bath robe. I would at least put on jeans or other casual attire.

Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago
Reply to  chilaw79

Yup. I usually sleep in just my underwear, but if I’m visiting a friend’s house, I’ll often sleep in underwear and shorts.

I think Price was wearing just his underwear when the EMTs arrived. A robe really doesn’t seem to be that unusual for midnight, and given that Sarah had free run of the house, I’m guessing that’s what they usually wore around the house in the evenings.

Clio
Clio
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

Alas, pajamas for men have gone the way of white gloves for ladies, but it did strike me as odd to have Robert wearing both shorts and underwear as well as a T-shirt for sleeping in a “hot” room in August in Washington.

With Miss Morgan safely gone, Joe’s tropical attire would have been more comfortable, that is, at least before Diane Durham arrived.

emg
emg
13 years ago
Reply to  Carol

Especially after a shower. I don’t think Robert took a shower.

I think Robert was smothered and the knife wounds were immediately post mortem-thus very little blood. There were no chimes but it was the only way to explain there was a intuder. Therefore there was very little clean-up and more time to get their stories straight.

To extend the timeline-they said he took a shower and unsent text messages were drafted to extend the time as well.

Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

Unless you’re assuming he was drugged, a smothering would have likely produced far more movement than a stabbing.

emg
emg
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

It was the nature of the stab wounds that indicated there was no movement. if he had already been suffocated it would explain the nature of the wounds.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

This is a good point, but don’t you think the room, or at least the bed, would have been in more disarray?

Hoya Loya
Hoya Loya
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

But why emg? And by who? And why cover it up?

emg
emg
13 years ago
Reply to  Hoya Loya

I have absolutely no clue. None of it makes any sense. A cover-up is usually done to protect a person or persons-but “who” is the mystery. Perhaps Joe protecting his brother; or Joe protecting Victor; or Victor protecting Joe.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

Another problem with this is the very small amount of petechial hemorrhage. If he’d been smothered as cause of death (damn that autopsy COD), there would have been much more evidence of it, no?

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  Hoya Loya

Exactly. If the intruder suffocated Robert, and he at least appeared to be dead, why and who would have stabbed him?

ramknts
ramknts
13 years ago
Reply to  Elizabeth

I have to weigh on this again.

There is zero possibility that Robert died from suffocation or smothering first. The autopsy was performed within a few hours of death. His carboxyhemoglobin levels were intact, and he showed absolutely no signs of being smothered or strangled. If he was smothered to the point of unconsciousness, he would have been breathing for several minutes before being stabbed.

Though the autopsy noted conjunctival and scleral petechiae (small blood vessel hemorrhages in his eyes), they are really inconclusive and cannot be used as sole evidence of a death by smothering. In fact, they are a common post-mortem artifact in bodies in the prone position. Given the massive amount of internal bleeding and increased pressure, it is more than likely blood pooled within his facial tissues as well.

Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago

I’ve always wondered whether the front door is connected to the chimes. If you go through the three statements, the timeline that they give is that Robert called Joe at ~10:30 to say that he was on his way. Everyone was supposedly in their rooms at that point. Robert arrived, Dylan went down and let him in (because apparently Joe and Victor didn’t her the knock or the doorbell), and then Joe came down to discover that Robert had arrived. Notice what’s missing? Even if Victor and Joe didn’t hear the doorbell or a knock at the door, shouldn’t they have both heard the door chime and realized that Dylan must have let Robert in? Or did they have an alarm system that wasn’t connected to the FRONT DOOR?

Tarfunk
Tarfunk
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

Assuming Robert arrived at 1509 via the front door, then we can assume the front door does indeed chime. In Dylan’s statement to police he describes how no one was going downstairs to let Robert in: “So I ran downstairs to let him in. And then Joe, then I opened the door, the door chimes, and I think the must have heard the chime, and then he came downstairs.”

Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago
Reply to  Tarfunk

But neither Joe nor Victor said they heard the door chime, did they?

Tarfunk
Tarfunk
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

Victor says: ” And Joe and I were watching TV then for a few minutes. And then Joe went downstairs and it turned out that he [Robert] had come and Dylan had let him in.”

Joe says: “The alarm was not on but it has a function where the DOORS [emphasis mine] chime if you open the doors, whether the alarm’s on or not.”

So, apparently they could only hear the door chimes when they were asleep or half-asleep, not when fully awake and watching TV.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

That would make no sense, would it? Of all the doors to alarm, would would think the one facing the street would be high on the list.

tucsonwriter
tucsonwriter
13 years ago

All the doors were originally alarmed earlier in the evening when the tenant left. I find that the most telling detail. If you live in a high crime neighborhood and you have an alarm, you use it, ALL the time. Its just what you do. You don’t turn it off randomly now and then. Either you don’t have an alarm or if you are the type of person who installs an alarm, you use it religiously. I would be curious to see if there was ever another time when the alarm wasn’t on. It simply makes no sense to pay for an expensive alarm system and not use it religiously. Except for on the one night an imaginary intruder comes in……

Also it is my belief that the brother, Michael Price, did come and took a big load away with him….including the knife and various other items. Why did the brother miss his class, which was much earlier in the night? What was with the burnt steaks earlier in the night? What happened earlier in the night?

chilaw79
chilaw79
13 years ago

You state that Wone carried two wallets. Were two wallets found at the defendants’ home? I have only seen mention of a wallet and a Movado watch being present on the night stand.

interestedobserver
interestedobserver
13 years ago
Reply to  chilaw79

Yes, the evidence was that two wallets were found on the night stand. This was according to a picture that was taken of the scene.

WhatACase
WhatACase
13 years ago

…and the “intruder” doesn’t bother to take either one with him on the way out. Or the watch, or the BlackBerry, or the laptop sitting downstairs. Ridiculous.

emg
emg
13 years ago

State of Sleep- based on David’s analysis, if the conclusion is that Robert was asleep, it was not natural. Strange,place, too many noises(chime, footsteps, latch)0So there are 2 other possibilities’
1) Robert took a sleep aid- i think this is highly unlikely. He did not normally take anything as far as we know. We have not heard that his wife packed anything for him. He had to get up the next day for his new job and would not want to oversleep.
2) Someone gave him a sleep aid without his knowledge-It likely would have been put it the glass of water upon his arrival. That would mean that this murder was pre-meditated. I don’t see 3 smart guys planning a murder in their own home with no after-plan with someone they knew, and giving themselves so little time and real possibility of being seen and heard.

None of the 3 (feel asleep naturally, took something, someone gave him something) make sense to me.

ccf
ccf
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

I tend to believe in scenario 2. Reobert was drugged soon after arrival. He didn’t even have time to take a shower, that left plenty of time for the murderers to clean-up.

I don’t think that the murder was premeditated. It was more like a sexual assault gone wrong, in which I believe most of us here tend to agree.

Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago
Reply to  ccf

I also think he was drugged soon after arrival, but I’m still not entirely sure why. I’m not even convinced that they were planning on a sexual assault, at least not in the usual sense of the term. Joe was reportedly fond of erotic photography, so I think it’s entirely possible that his plan was to drug Robert, take a bunch of pictures of him naked, put his clothes back on him, and tuck him into bed. When he got up the next morning, Joe would just say, “Man, you were totally wiped out last night. Need some coffee?”

I’m still not sure how things escalated to murder. My sneaking suspicion is that there were multiple people involved with whatever happened that night, and each one had a slightly different plan for the evening. Dylan is a big X-factor to me. I don’t have a very good “read” on him. Maybe he got jealous and stabbed Robert to death during Joe’s photo shoot. Maybe he was obsessed with death and just wanted to watch someone die. I really can’t figure it out. Joe Price seems like a typical alpha male who thinks that he should be able to have a spouse, a boyfriend, and a drug habit with absolutely no consequences. Victor Zaborsky seems like a typical Stepford wife. But Dylan Ward? I don’t know. He could be anything from an aimless nerd who fell in with the wrong guy to a pure sociopath who does whatever he damn well pleases.

Clio
Clio
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

So, BO, where are the cameras and other photographic equipment? Surely, Joe did not store all of his digital mementos at work.

And, of course, killers keep trophies and scrapbooks — always useful for both the detective and the historian. Was the deep stack of hard copy emails such a treasure for Culuket?

As for Dyl, this tragedy has not killed him, but it has only made him “stronger” or at least more confident. I do not think that, before 08/02/06, he would have chided Post reporter Keith Alexander in the churlish way that he apparently did. That day, he truly could be considered “the mouse that roared!”

Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago
Reply to  Clio

No idea. But he certainly expressed an interest in erotic photography. And there were erotic photographs on his hard drive at work. They had to come from somewhere.

Tarfunk
Tarfunk
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

Item (19) retrieved in the search warrant is a “kodak disposable camera.” That’s the only mention of any photographic equipment in the warrant. How likely is it that three educated, internet savvy men would have only a kodak disposable camera among them in 2006? It’s the absence of photographic equipment that screams for an explanation in this case.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  Tarfunk

Well, it’s not the only thing that screams for an explanation, but it is interesting. Any film that would have to be developed is not going to show anything “hardcore”

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Elizabeth

And yet there WERE hardcore photos of Joe, if not Dylan, and on Joe’s AF computer, no less.

So where ARE those cameras? Same place as the playmat? Dylan’s other knife?

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  Carolina

Agreed, they had nice cameras. I just meant hard core pictures would be taken digitally and not require anyone to develop anything. So yes, where are they??

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Tarfunk

We know they had a decent camera. Those photos in Italy were not the work of a disposable.

WhatACase
WhatACase
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

BillO — I think you paint one of the most plausible scenarios I’ve seen. Robert is drugged upon arrival for photo shoot fun. But perhaps during the shoot he awakens as he is being positioned, which results in Joe and Dylan putting a pillow over the face of the only-somewhat-conscious Robert as they seek to inject him with something to really knock him out.

I can imagine them panicking that Robert may have been aware of what was going on when he briefly awakened. But the pillow compression results in near-suffocation, as was noted in the autopsy, and leads them to believe he’s not breathing. Not yet murderous, they move him to the tub to try to snap him out of his deep sleep with a cold shower, but that doesn’t work either; they become convinced that he’s dead, or near dead.

Perhaps they fear that Robert, if revived, will recall what went on in the bedroom, and he will prosecure them to the fullest. At any rate, the intruder story is crafted, resulting in a staged stabbing. Perhaps they were going to drag his body out of the house, after it finished draining.

Even move it to the back patio and claim someone from the alley stabbed him there? But Victor must have heard the commotion and stumbled upon them and screamed, forcing a change in plans out of fear that the neighbors may have heard the scream. Chilling, but possible.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  WhatACase

I agree with all of this, save for the suffocation. Those two tiny hemorrhages don’t indicate there was much of that going on.

New Alias
New Alias
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

Er, the ‘taking photos’ scenario *is* sexual assault, I believe.

I think the evidence points to premeditation. Everyone was way too calm and way too on-message for the crime to have been “sudden.”

If it were unplanned, however, Price’s control over VZ and DW must have been very powerful for the two to have adapted so quickly to their unexpected predicament.

I believe 100% that Joe Price was the instigator of this crime. He’s the one with a relationship to Robert; he’s the one in control of the polyamorous triangle; he’s the one in charge of the house (Sarah’s testimony). I don’t know if he killed Robert with his own hands, alone, or if he had help, or if he had someone else do it for him.

It seems everyone concedes Joe Price is a micro-managing control freak. Surely such a person would go ballistic if someone did something as dramatic as kill a guest in his own home without his consent and direction.

ccf
ccf
13 years ago
Reply to  New Alias

It is difficult for me to believe that it was premeditation, especially if the murder was planned before Robert arrived. I would be terribly disappointed at Joe Price with the sloppiness. It seems to me he’s smarter and more meticulous than that.

Perhaps the calmness was due to the mental and physical exhaustion in cleaning the body and re-arranging the crime scene, probably for over an hour. Victor wasn’t that calm; he probably found out later, not long before the 9-1-1 call.

Goose
Goose
13 years ago

ME Goslinowski testified that in 45 stabbing cases she’s done, Robert’s is the first where “there was no indication of movement in the torso or extremities.”

There is no way he slept through it all. The body’s natural reaction would be to flinch or move or protect itself when being stabbed…if not after the first, then at least after the second or third stab wound! Even the defendants’ stories contradict the evidence. The defendants testified they heard grunting, indicating that even if Robert was asleep, he was RESPONDING to the pain. This completely goes against the ME’s testimony.

They are lying, lying, lying about EVERYTHING.

interestedobserver
interestedobserver
13 years ago
Reply to  Goose

Also, Joe told the police that while he was attending to Robert during Victor’s 911 call that Joe heard “moaning” from Robert. How does the defense explain that statement if they are claiming immediate incapacitation?

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago

Pretty sure Joe’s going to say he was “overstating” or “mistaken.” Good luck with that, Joe.

ccf
ccf
13 years ago

David’s article touched on Robert’s email messages. I started reading this blog 2 weeks ago so it may have been discussed in the past, but I didn’t see it discussed recently.

According to my theory of the timeline, Robert did not type the messages. But then I would think that it’d be highly risky for the murderers — assuming they were some of the occupants — to compose them. What if they didn’t match Roberts style of writing, or even worse, the contents were inconsistent with what the recipients expected.

I know that the messages were erased, but did anyone capture their exact contents? I’ve never seen it. Thanks.

Thanks.

Bill Orange
Bill Orange
13 years ago
Reply to  ccf

They were written on his blackberry but not actually sent. As far as I know, the actual contents were destroyed without being mirrored.

apple
apple
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

This whole Blackberry thing puzzles me. If the defendants wrote the emails, they did it for the benefit of the police, assuming the contents would be analyzed, and the device fingerprinted in the process. Even if you had a low opinion of the DC police, I think you’d have to assume they’d do this (whether they actually did, I don’t know.) If they wiped it down to eliminate their fingerprints, that would obviously expose the emails as fake….?

Crispin
Crispin
13 years ago
Reply to  apple

Has there been any news about whether or not the DC MPD did any forensic analysis of the blackberry (or any other of Robert’s possessions left at 1509 Swann St)? Maybe in the confusion of transporting Robert to the hospital and taking the 3 defendants in for questioning nobody bothered to dust the wallet and blackberry for prints. Clearly, if the blackberry had been ‘wiped down’ by the author of fake emails, it would obviously point to a cover-up. Otherwise the cops would have found only Robert’s fingerprints on the blackberry.

WhatACase
WhatACase
13 years ago
Reply to  Bill Orange

correct, contents destroyed, but as I recall it, one was a simple confirmation of a lunch date (very few words), and the other was a good night note to his wife (whom he had already called to say he’s talk to her in the morning).

chilaw79
chilaw79
13 years ago
Reply to  WhatACase

I don’t understand why Wone would feel the need to text his wife after speaking with her. I could understand he would text rather than calling if he thought he would awaken his wife, but since they spoke, a text seems superfluous.

apple
apple
13 years ago
Reply to  chilaw79

The reason I’m so obsessed with these Blackberry emails is that they are crucial, in my opinion, to establishing the timeline. If we accept that they’re genuine, I can’t figure out how all the things that happened could have taken place in 35 minutes.

chilaw79
chilaw79
13 years ago
Reply to  apple

I agree with you that the e-mails are important, but they are basically irrelevant unless someone transcribed the information from the Blackberry before the Blackberry was recycled. It seems strange that the Blackberry would be returned in any event, given the fact that the death was classified as a homicide. Doesn’t anyone in this case properly preserve evidence?

However, I think Wone would have sent them if he wrote them. It would not take long to do so. I think he was incapacitated by the time the e-mails were composed.

Pshep
Pshep
13 years ago
Reply to  chilaw79

Maybe they were not sent because whomever composed them was in a state of panic and unfamiliar with the Blackberry itself?

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Pshep

This has been discussed at length (and if you’re interested, you can use the search feature or even Google), but if the emails were composed by the killer(s), they could not send them or they would leave a time stamp and might well elicit a reply that would in turn require a another email/text.

The time stamp of when they were written can be manipulated by the blackberry settings.

WhatACase
WhatACase
13 years ago
Reply to  apple

The fact that they BB messages were typed and stored, rather than sent, and considering the timestamp on them when stored, suggests to me that they were not written by Robert. (Why would he send an email to his wife, whom he has already said goodnight to, with the breaking news that he had taken a shower?? It reminds me of that great scene in “Arthur” where the title character tells his butler that he is going to take a bath. The butler, played brilliantly by Sir John Geilgud, replies, “I’ll alert the media.”) Considering the neighbors heard the scream sometime after 11 p.m., I think these saved BB messages were a part of the coverup (typed either before the scream, presumably from Victor, or just after the scream).

DonnaH
DonnaH
13 years ago
Reply to  apple

Not only is it questionable who wrote them, but it has been noted here before that the time of the drafts could have been falsified; only if they had been actually sent would there be a verifiable timeframe established.

apple
apple
13 years ago
Reply to  DonnaH

I agree with this, absolutely–but, again, if they were sent by the defendants it was for the benefit of the police, and one would have to assume that the device would be fingerprinted. What better place to find prints than a Blackberry? It just doesn’t make sense to me, not that anything about this case does…

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  apple

There’s nothing saying the typist didn’t wear gloves. We don’t know if the blackberry was fingerprinted, but I suspect the answer is yes, and there is nothing to help the prosecution so it doesn’t get entered.

New Alias
New Alias
13 years ago
Reply to  apple

MPD treated the BB as evidence. Unfortunately, the Secret Service treated it as garbage.

That said, even if Robert had written the BB message to his wife in advance, why would he have gone to sleep without sending it? Hmm.

Kate
Kate
13 years ago
Reply to  DonnaH

One other point that bothers me about Robert’s Blackberry:

The device usually requires a password to unlock it when turning it on or getting it out of slumber mode – a security measure one would expect on a phone issued from an employer.

If Robert did not type the unset e-mails, doesn’t it figure that someone else knew his password?

Would an unknown intruder know such a thing?

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  Kate

But would any of the trouple know it either? And why would he compose an email but not send it?

Kate
Kate
13 years ago
Reply to  Elizabeth

Good questions. That’s why the BB bothers me.

If Robert wrote the messages, there’s no conceivable reason he wouldn’t send them.

And a random intruder wouldn’t know his password. Therefore, one of the trouple would have to have known it … or been able to guess at it quickly.

Weird, isn’t it?

NYer
NYer
13 years ago
Reply to  Elizabeth

I don’t think unsent emails in a blackberry are all that unusual. I myself have one or two in queue most times. Sometimes you start a message and something comes up that prevents you from sending.

apple
apple
13 years ago
Reply to  NYer

There are rooms in my house where I can type but not send BB emails (no signal in those rooms)

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Kate

Also possible he never locked it after calling Kathy. I’m very guilty of this.

Kate
Kate
13 years ago
Reply to  Carolina

Good point Carolina – but of the three BB’s we’ve had/have in our household, they have all been programmed to lock in a few minutes, if not in continuous use.

It’s an important feature if your work deals with confidential or sensitive materials. As chief counsel for RFA, Robert would certainly have dealt with such confidential and/or sensitive documents, discussions, etc.

What are your thoughts?

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Kate

We would be skinned alive if we sent confidential emails via blackberry, even on a secure network, so mine does not lock as long as I have an active screen up. It’s hard to say, but I’m sure RFA could confirm or deny. Even though the bb was reimaged, I would say they are all programmed the same way.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  Carolina

Mine locks automatically after a certain period of time – 10 minutes? I certainly don’t have anything confidential on mine, but they set it up that way at the store telling me that if it was stolen a thief would not be able to use it.

tucsonwriter
tucsonwriter
13 years ago
Reply to  WhatACase

Don’t forget that Robert had his night guard in his mouth. This is consistent with the faked Blackberry messages and him being freshly showered….. and lying on top of a bed sheet instead of in bed. They over-thought the scenario – unless Robert had gotten ready for bed and done that stuff before being overtaken in some way.

DonnaH
DonnaH
13 years ago
Reply to  ccf

This, from “A Look Ahead to Friday’s Hearing” on 4/21/09:

“Prosecutors acknowledge in the court papers that the government has no data from Wone’s BlackBerry phone other than the recollection of two D.C. police detectives at the crime scene who noted two e-mail messages. One e-mail, purportedly from Wone to his wife, said Wone had just taken a shower and was going to bed. Wone reportedly sent another e-mail two minutes later to an associate confirming lunch plans for the following day.”

Although we know now that the e-mails were drafted (by whomever) but not sent.

Bea
Bea
13 years ago
Reply to  DonnaH

I think the messages were typed by one of the defendants with the notion of sending them later but showing those times (or considered, decision to be made later) during Plan A. In other words, to show that Robert left early the next morning and they don’t know what happened to him – see, he sent those messages right before bed last night. Only Plan A didn’t happen (by Plan A I mean that they intended to move the body).

But Victor screamed and they knew the neighbors would have heard it, and THAT would be their undoing if the body was moved. But by that time the clean-up had already occurred. My guess is that in their frenzy to get the stories straight and call 911 (and send off the bloody towels and digital/video cameras and murder weapon) they forgot about the Blackberry messages and didn’t erase them or send them.

We’ve bandied this around before, and I think a number of folks think this way, not just me.

DonnaH
DonnaH
13 years ago
Reply to  Bea

Yes, I think such a scenario is the most likely–with the possible exception of whether the clean-up was completed when Victor screamed. I tend to think otherwise– if indeed Victor came downstairs when Robert moaned, the cleanup would hardly have started; or he may have come in response to some commotion more likely during the clean-up than after. –And I admit, I would also prefer to think that, because if he ever steps up and tells what he knows, it would be a lot more incriminating. Even if, perhaps, he didn’t participate in the cleanup but was sent back upstairs until Joe had him call 911.
As for the Blackberry, I think I recall reading that while the time of the draft writing can be altered, the time of its actual sending would be recorded elsewhere and so could not be meddled with–? If so, they didn’t have a lot of time to send them off and have them be credible. But they may have had second thoughts about sending those messages, and as you noted, events soon got ahead of them, and in their frenzy they forgot about them.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  DonnaH

Is it at all possible that the “moans” were not from Robert but from the murderer stabbing him? They have been described as grunts as well. Would the murdered grunt when he was stabbing Robert – at least one wound would have had to be delivered with some force at it pierced the sternum. Plus, when Joe described it to Kathy, he made those sounds as as was making a stabbing motion. Could those be the sounds he himself was making when he stabbed Robert?

DonnaH
DonnaH
13 years ago
Reply to  Elizabeth

I think that’s quite plausible, and perhaps makes even more sense if we assume that Robert was so incapacitated that he could not make any defensive moves. If he were that incapacitated, could he possibly even make any sounds while being stabbed? Wouldn’t his vocal cords be nonfunctioning as well?

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  DonnaH

No, not all drugs would keep him from making sounds. Ketamine, for example.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  DonnaH

I think mentioning the shower is so trivial as to point with flaming arrows at the defendants.

Josh
Josh
13 years ago

Just back to the original premise above. What possible motive could the intruder have had? Burglaries become homicides when the thief is interrrupted, such as when the victim is wakened. If our intruder is a thief, and if Robert is asleep, why does said intruder begin by murdering a sleeping man? (And then forget to steal anything.)
Therefore, if we are to give the intruder theory even a ghost of credence, the intruder must have not been a thief but someone out to murder Robert. But no one has suggested that anyone had it in for Robert, much less someone who happened to know where he was going to sleep that night and who happened to be in the neighborhood.
The only other scenario is that a killer was out to murder one of the trouple or their tenant, and got the wrong bedroom. This would have to assume that said killer had never seen the intended victim before, i.e., was a hired killer, and whomever hired him not only gave him the wrong bedroom but also neglected to describe the intended victim, even in such minimal terms as “white male.”
In short, every alternative scenario is more absurd than the one before. A reasonable doubt must be reasonable. No construction of the defendants’ claims rises anywhere near that level.

Bob
Bob
13 years ago
Reply to  Josh

Josh wrote: “Therefore, if we are to give the intruder theory even a ghost of credence, the intruder must have not been a thief but someone out to murder Robert. But no one has suggested that anyone had it in for Robert, much less someone who happened to know where he was going to sleep that night and who happened to be in the neighborhood.” That isn’t entirely accurate. There is a theory that someone had it in for Robert. That is the Chinese ninja theory, an assassin hired by the Chinese or North Korean government. However, it has also been pointed out that a professional assassin would have waited until the middle of the night rather than breaking into a house where people were still awake. There is a theory that someone was hired to kill Robert. However, like the other alternative scenarios, it has absurdities.

ccf
ccf
13 years ago
Reply to  Bob

I agree. Regardless of whether it was a burglar or a ninja, 11:30pm or so is just too early for night-prowling. I’d still be wide awake. Many people would be watching TV, reading, having sex, reading blogs, surfing the net, pleasuring themselves while surfing the net or whatever.

ccf
ccf
13 years ago
Reply to  ccf

Sorry. When I said ninja, I meant ninja assassin; I don’t think there are too many ninja burglars.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  ccf

Who don’t steal anything.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Josh

The room in which Robert was killed wasn’t even a bedroom, it was a sitting room with a pullout bed.

Josh
Josh
13 years ago

whoever – my bad

Chris
Chris
13 years ago

Also, we might consider which of the suspects could be responsible for Robert’s death who would be able to keep all the others committed to protect him, even when faced with 30 some years in jail? Do you imagine that Michael Price could generate that kind of loyalty? He might with his brother, Joe, but would Dylan or Victor protect Michael in the face of real jail time? I would think it is doubtful. If so, that would mean Michael didn’t do it.

If it was Dylan who was responsible for Robert’s death– maybe he went crazy, or inadvertently went too far sexually — would Victor protect him when the cause of this mess was Dylan’s own distorted behavior and foolishness? Which had nothing to do with Victor. Would you in that situation? Particularly once you realized that you could go to jail for so many years based on what is really Dylan’s serious psychological “problem?” Then, too, I would think it would be hard for Victor to stay loyal to Dylan, four years later, with Dylan now more emotionally distant from the “family.” Michael, again, might stay loyal. But why would Victor?

The only person I think that none of them would betray is Michael. But I can’t imagine Michael killing Robert. What would make him murder his friend? Someone else might be “responsible” for the death, or the death could have been an accident or inadvertent — then I can imagine Michael taking charge, coming up with the cover up idea of an “intruder” to protect that killer, and then Michael being the one who is strong enough emotionally to make the knife cuts. After all it was his friend — I would think he would take on the responsibility rather than leave it to someone else. Also, he may have been the one with the most to lose, career wise, for there to be a murder in his home in those circumstances. And he also seems the brightest, most cunning, and legally sophisticated to come up with the whole cover up story.

Whatever foul play happened, or however Robert died, it would seem it would have to have been Michael ultimately with the knife, for none of the others would have generated the necessary loyalty with what they are now facing. And, if Joe was the “cleaner,” now no one can turn anyone in, or they all go down for conspiracy. That is why they stay united til the end. Yes? How else could it be?

whodoneit
whodoneit
13 years ago
Reply to  Chris

I think you started to confuse Michael and Joe partway through your post.

Chris
Chris
13 years ago
Reply to  whodoneit

Your right! I meant Joe is the one who would generate the loyalty.

Pshep
Pshep
13 years ago
Reply to  Chris

I agree that Joe is the glue holding this conspiracy together. If he was not directly involved with the murder/accidental killing of Robert, he does not seem like the type to risk his ass for anyone else. Likewise if Dylan was not involved with same, I believe he would have rolled over by now. Most likely the 2 of them were directly involved with Robert’s death.

Common think around here is that the scream heard was Victor’s when he stumbled upon the murder/clean-up. He is then brought into the conspiracy. Joe seems to have the manipulative power to get Victor to go along. Victor seems to be weak-willed enough to accept this. Let’s not forget that Joe somehow convinced Victor that it was a good idea to move his dominant S&M partner into their home. Victor accepted that.

How many of us on this site that are married and/or in long term-committed relationships would/could convince their partners or spouses to allow another sexual partner to MOVE INTO THEIR HOME? How many of your spouses an/or partners would accept that?

WhatACase
WhatACase
13 years ago
Reply to  Pshep

Excellent point. Not only did Price get Victor to accept Ward into the “family,” but Ward told Sara Morgan that his intent was to break up Victor and Joe. (see “Day 10: Wrap” post: “Again, Kirschner asked Morgan to describe the Price – Ward relationship. She said, “He (Ward) thought Joe was going to break up with Victor and he would become Joe’s partner.”)

whodoneit
whodoneit
13 years ago
Reply to  Pshep

I have a cousin that tried to convince his wife to allow his new sexual partner to move into their home. She said absolutely not. His response was “You know, I really thought you were more progressive than that.”

They split up.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Chris

This was discussed at length not so long ago. You say Michael would not engender this kind of loyalty from Dylan and Victor. If you will notice, those two, via their attorneys, have pointedly distanced themselves from Michael in court. While Joe’s lawyer objected to info regarding Michael, neither of the others did.

Michael would probably get that loyalty from Joe. Joe’s been cleaning up after him and trying support Michael financially and emotionally while Mike gets his trainloads of baggage together. If Joe assisted in the cover up, I suspect that would bind Dylan and Victor to him.

In other words, their loyalty is not to Michael, but to Joe, and if Joe is involved, Michael gets their loyalty by default.

tucsonwriter
tucsonwriter
13 years ago
Reply to  Carolina

And I think Michael, who was on the phone all night while they were being interrogated, participated in the clean up.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago

Haven’t hear from John Grisham in a while. What’s up with that?

Lyn
Lyn
13 years ago

“While two of the three defendants took some sort of sleeping aid,…”

Has this been proven? Were they tested to verify this?

I could see them claiming they took something as a way to bolster their claim they they didn’t hear the “intruder” or the killing, but it is true?

Tarfunk
Tarfunk
13 years ago
Reply to  Lyn

The sleep aids they took were Lunesta (Dylan) and Unisom (Victor). Unisom is the same as benedryl, and might make you a little drowsy but is not going to produce a knock-out sleep. Lunesta is similar to Ambien and will produce a deep sleep, but given Dylan’s own admission of reading for a while before taking the sleep aid, it’s hard to see how he could be so out of it given the timeline they want us to assume. (I take Ambien, which is stronger than Lunesta, and I know it takes a good 20 minutes to kick in.)

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Tarfunk

Again, we only know this because they said so. I’m disinclined to believe much from them except that the sky is occasionally blue.

Helen Bedd
Helen Bedd
13 years ago

I’m betting on Sarah Morgan as Robert’s killer.
The other housemates would have had reason to cover for her, especially if she was blackmailing them over Michael Price’s legal issues, or perhaps some other issue that hasn’t come to light.
Her giggling on the witness stand really bothers me; it’s completely inappropriate and leads me to believe she has something to hide. Innocent people don’t giggle.

DonnaH
DonnaH
13 years ago
Reply to  Helen Bedd

So, did you giggle when you came up with your posting name? Or when you hit on wasting our time by putting forth Sarah Morgan’s name as the killer?

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  Helen Bedd

Nervous ones do.

susan
susan
13 years ago

I don’t understand the relationship btw J. Price and M. Price. Can someone elucidate or point to posts that go into the psychology of their brotherhood?

But here in this house are two men into “torture” with torture devices around, knives kept in bedrooms, illegal drugs, and a brother with a key who has had trouble with the law, a history of beating up his brother and friends who like to torture and cut up animals and laugh at their pain. Not the average “family.”

Leo
Leo
13 years ago

The idea that Robert had arranged a tryst at Swann St. that went horribly bad is the only way I can imagine an actual basis for the “intruder theory,” but no one has a tryst with their mouthguard in.

Turtlejay
Turtlejay
13 years ago

As long as the topic is State of Sleep, I have to chime in with the one seemingly innocuous fact that has obssessed me since it was first revealed (and I have been following this murder since it first occurred; have been lurking on this incredible Web site for quite a while).

Robert’s MOUTH GUARD was in place. That is an incredibly personal, individual, private, and last act before hitting the bed to SLEEP. To me, I don’t know if it proves anything, but it disproves that Robert was himself preparing to engage in some not-in-HIS-ordinary-course-of-business sexual activity (although I know most of the readers to his site don’t ascribe to this theory anyway). I also think it mitigates against deducing that Robert was knocked out by a drug before he made it to the bed on his own. I think it means he was preparing to go to sleep, he inserted it, and then who knows what.

Anyone else out there a night-guard wearer? To me, that plastic strip has to fit into whatever theory one posits . . . .

Kate
Kate
13 years ago
Reply to  Turtlejay

Agreed, Turtlejay – the mouth guard certainly indicates to me that Robert was following his normal bedtime routine, the mouth guard being the final step before lights out.

It has been posited here in earlier threads that one of the assailants inserted the guard as part of the clean-up cover up scenario.

Truly bizarre, eh?
Kate

Tarfunk
Tarfunk
13 years ago
Reply to  Kate

In an earlier post, I asked whether Joe would have known that Robert had the mouth guard in. I guess it’s possible that Robert died with his mouth open so that Joe could see this, but it’s just as likely not. It’s very strange that in his interrogation, Joe describes the position he found Robert in: “You know, everything looked fine, except there’s this guy there with a bloody shirt, laying there, you know, with his head at an extreme — you know, way back like he must’ve raised his head like (indiscernible) thing on his teeth.” That quote sure sounds like Joe knew Robert had his mouth guard in, and one wonders just how he knew that.

AnnaZed
AnnaZed
13 years ago
Reply to  Tarfunk

I think it says a great deal that Joe is calling Robert “this guy” when he speaks; it’s like he can’t say his name, he’s just a “thing.”

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  AnnaZed

Agree. That really bothered me, as well. Why not use “Robert?” Bizarre. Reminds me of Silence of the Lambs, “It puts the lotion on its skin.” Much is written in linguistics and psychology about objectification of a person using such terms.

deepsouth
deepsouth
13 years ago
Reply to  Turtlejay

My bite guard case goes on the bedside stand anywhere I’m sleeping. Bite guard isn’t something you put down on a random tabletop, especially if you’re even halfway fastidious – it’s either in place, being brushed or it’s put away in the case. I’m thinking there should have been an empty case right there – maybe Joe saw that instead.

I can’t see how someone else might have put it in for Robert either. I’ve had both hard and soft types, and either one would be tough to do for someone else without their active assistance to bite down and click the back teeth into place.

BenFranklin
BenFranklin
13 years ago

I’ve always thought the murder was motiveless but it could possibly be a gang initiation of some kind. New gang bangers are often given the task “kill a man with their bare hands” to earn their bones or tear-drop tattoos. Random motiveless home invasion-nothing stolen to track back to the gang.

Asians and gays are unfortunately often the victims of these crimes because there is a perception they don’t fight back. They may have come in to the house to kill a fag and ended up killing Wone instead.

Clio
Clio
13 years ago
Reply to  BenFranklin

Ben, dearest, I am afraid that you have been watching the British independent film Shank too many times.

In another part of the time-space continuum, you may spend your time more wisely, perhaps, by asking General Washington to do a background check on Baron von Steuben: it appears that the Baron likes them a little young, but you did not hear that from me.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  BenFranklin

In a just world, your internet would shut down permanently.

Bea
Bea
13 years ago
Reply to  BenFranklin

Perhaps the Lunesta Zombie had been wandering the neighborhood in previous nights, encroaching on gang territory! And here you thought the Lunesta Zombie was to blame for Robert’s murder DIRECTLY – how silly you must feel now that the L-Zom is only indirectly responsible.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Bea

I think Lunesta Zombies is a great gang name, to be quite honest.

christy love
christy love
13 years ago
Reply to  BenFranklin

Ben Franklin = why the guys should have gone with a jury trial, it only takes one.

WIGuy
WIGuy
13 years ago

If the three defendants were all involved in the murder, something even the prosecution does not advocate, why did they call 911 at night? Why not give yourself more time to arrange things and “discover” the body in the morning. Whatever happened did so spur of the moment.

Bill 2
Bill 2
13 years ago
Reply to  WIGuy

The scream! It’s easy to figure they thought the scream would bring the cops right away. Waiting until morning, the neighbors still heard a scream before midnight. When the cops didn’t come, following the scream, they still didn’t know if the cops had been detained. The phone call was needed to cover for the scream.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  WIGuy

Honestly, it would be great if you’d just read the basics of the case.

Leonard
Leonard
13 years ago

As to the core theme of this specific entry (sleep) there is mention by two of the defendants in their statements about Wone’s arm being in an unusual position. Might be nothing but would like to understand more about it and either its significance or lack thereof. Anyone have more information on the exact position of the body?

emg
emg
13 years ago

How is it that hundreds of intelligent people are unable to reconstruct a plausible scenario that transpired in less than an hour? On the surface it would seem so simple. But it is truly a conundrum.

For the sake of argument let’s stipulate the following:
1-This was not a random act by a random intruder.
2-This was not pre-meditated.
3- Joe has a brother who is out of control and he has protected for many, many years. Dylan and Victor know this.
4-Joe runs the house.
5-All 3 occupants are very intelligent, well educated individuals with good careers and alot to lose.
6-Robert is a good friend of Joe, who runs the show.
7-Robert is very well connected and could do great harm to their reputations in DC and throughout the William & Mary crowd, that was extremely important to Joe.
8-Michael stole from his brother’s apartment several weeks after the murder, knowing full well this would bring negative attention to all of them. This indicates he is irrational.

What if Michael, with a key, decided to sneak in that night unaware that Robert was staying over. Perhaps there were some valuable items in the guest room, whuch he assumed was unoccupied. That is why he passed Dylan’s room and went to the guest room.
( whoever did this knew the floor plan)

He has a knife that he always carries. Robert surprises him. Michael grabs the pillow. Robert is now unconscious and is not moving, but not deceased. Michael panics. At this point he wants to make sure he is dead and uses the knife or yells for Joe.

Dylan is asleep and Victor is too afraid to come down stairs. Joe as always takes care of everything for Michael and this is big. I personally found Dylan’s interview believeable.

At some point Victor comes down to see what is going on and screams. It wakes Dylan. Joe says, we have to protect Michael. The story will be “It was an intruder” and Victor and Dylan are told what to say- not to protect Michael but because it is what Joe wants.

Over the last 4 years Joe keeps telling Victor and Dylan that as long as they stick together they will all be ok.

And now we are here. If this trial starts to turn against them, either Victor or Dylan will see the light and fold like a cheap tent.

Michael is that huge loose canon that from what we have read has been a nemisis for Joe his entire life.

Lyn
Lyn
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

Under this scenario, is Wone awakened or not?

If he is awakened, I’d imagine that Wone could overpower M. Price in a struggle prior to M. Price being able to suffocate Wone. I’d also imagine there would be some scratches/marks on Wone’s body from the struggle and that there wouldn’t be needle puncture marks.

If he isn’t awakened, do you really think it is likely that Wone would have gone to sleep with the blanket and sheet positioned in the manner they were found (turn down at a 45 degree angle with Wone on top)? And wouldn’t Wone have reacted/struggled the moment his breathing was cut-off by a pillow, thus causing a struggle and disturbing the bed?

And in either case, wouldn’t three stab wounds have caused more bleeding than that found on the bed, especially considering that the back of Wone’s shirt was covered with blood?

Liam
Liam
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

On the one hand, unless Joe Price has a Svenghali like hold over Zaborsky and Ward, I cannot imagine that both would risk significant prison time to protect Michael Price. And, not only the prison time but the extreme expense to defend yourself and the ruining of your reputation.

I can’t see such loyalty to protect the troubled brother unless one or more of the three is also directly involved.

On the other hand, I cannot even begin to fathom the mindset of the three housemates.

Also, does anyone think that they tried to smother him with the pillow first, and then thought, wait, what intruder is going to spend five minutes smothering someone, we’ve got to stab him to make this look legit for an intruder.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  Liam

What if they did try to smother him first, and then thought wait, “we’ve got to stab him to make this look legit…” What do you think happened before that so that they were in a position to kill him? If you assume Michael wanted to steal something from the guest bedroom, why wouldn’t he wait until the house was empty? With a key he could have gone in the next morning when everyone was off to work. Also, in the transcript of the interrogation, nothing of value was in that room. A computer and some files, etc.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago
Reply to  Liam

I like your use of the word “Svenghali.” It reminds me of the Meatloaf song – “Oh I would do anything for love, but I won’t do that. No I won’t do that.”

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Liam

I firmly believe they are covering for poor, put upon Joe, who had to once again clean up after Michael, and Joe is guilty of covering up for Michael.

JJ
JJ
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

That does not explain the presumed sexual assault or the needle marks.

Hoya Loya
Hoya Loya
13 years ago

Surely as simple a theory as I’ve seen here.

Up until the part about calling for Joe, wouldn’t this scenario also work for a random intruder with the kitchen knife (if lawmed is right about the blood and Deedrick wrong about the knife and fibers, i.e. no clean-up)? Likewise, assuming the same parenthetical, wouldn’t it also work for Joe not letting Victor or Dylan on to the fact that Michael did it (he tells Victor and Dylan it was a random intruder).

emg
emg
13 years ago
Reply to  Hoya Loya

I think Michael entered the house with a key to steal something frome the guest room, unaware Robert was there. After that there are many scenarios. Who knows which one
1- Michael panics and smothers Robert. He thinks he’s dead.

2- He calls Joe. (either before or after stab wounds)

3-Joe either stabs the “deceased Robert” to make it look like an intruder and gives as much evidence as possible to Michael and tells him to leave and dispose of it. Joe proceeds to clean up-straighten sheets etc.
4-Victor comes down wondering where Joe is and screams awakening Dylan. I think initially Dylan and Victor agreed to the cover-up because they did what Joe said, whether out of fear or love. They then found themselves in so deep, they were afraid to come clean, especially if Joe was reassuring them that if they all stuck together it would be ok.

I just think it may be far more simple than we think. It was not planned. Joe Dylan and Victor were not the initiators. They were far too smart and successful to jeopardize everything.

If Robert had oxygen deprivation and his heart had stopped, 3 rapid knife wounds causing internal bleeding rather than external, I think is possible. Michael or M. and Joe may have thought Robert was dead and felt stab wounds would make it look more like an intruder.
I think far too much weight is being placed on the coroner saying wounds indicated Robert did not move. 45 cases stab wound cases is not alot. Most ME’s have done thousands of autopsies in their careers and hundreds of stab wounds.

If Robert were killed before 11:00pm, that would give them almost 45 minutes to clean up with evidence (towels etc)given to Michael to dispose of. That is a long time for 2,3 or 4 people running around wiping everything down. So there could have been more blood than we suspect.

The police screwed up the blood search by using ashley’s agent instead of luminal so we will never know for sure.

It is shocking that every single key piece of evidence was somehow botched. Text messages on blackberry; what police were first told by Joe (Robert was outside patio and we brought him upstairs), blood evidence, was the door unlocked or ajar. Were patio lights on or off? Were the 3 EVER left unattended by police?

I think the needle marks will go nowhere. Anyone who has ever been in an ER knows that there are plenty of mistakes made -the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. Too many people had access to Robert in the hospitial. Techs come in for all admissions and try and draw blood or put in IV’s. If they can’t get a good vein in arms, they will try ankles. The fact that Robert was DOA would likely make IV insert even more difficult. Techs look for flow. If heart has stopped, they won’t get any and will try another location.

Bottom line: Look for the obvious. How many people have an apparently psychotic drug addicted relative with total access to a home where a totally unexplained murder has taken place? Who would you logically suspect?

Hoya Loya
Hoya Loya
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

Keep in mind, Michael has an alibi and no evidence connects him to 1509 that night. Except that he had the key.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  Hoya Loya

Michael’s alibi is looking less and less solid.

However, there is no way someone tried to smother Robert. Robert would have fought, and the hemorrhages don’t support it.

Clio
Clio
13 years ago
Reply to  Carolina

Did Michael own a car in 2006, or did he take public transportation or cabs to get to DuPont Circle? If the younger Price skipped class to jazzercise or to party at Swann that night, wouldn’t his Metro odyssey been picked up by someone? Surely he did not walk back to Silver Springs!

Hoya Loya
Hoya Loya
13 years ago
Reply to  Carolina

“Michael’s alibi is looking less and less solid.”

Maybe Carolina. He missed class for the first time on August 2, but unless Hinton recants and admits his diary entry is false or someone puts him in the vicinity of 1509 Swann that night, it still holds.

Kate
Kate
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

emg – your scenario appears to describe what the prosecution is going to present. It would make pretty simple and straightforward sense, EXCEPT for Robert’s “State of Sleep” – no reflexive response to the first wound, no evidence of incapacitation by smothering, and all the other bits presented by our fellow posters.

I wish I could agree wholeheartedly, but I can’t. However, I begin to think that Michael may have been involved.

And Clio – the image of Michael doing Jazzercise has been seared into my brain.

Cheers,
Kate

mw
mw
13 years ago

I was thinking about the apparent decision to have Victor make the 911 call. It certainly doesn’t make sense for Joe to trust Victor to pull off that very important part of the conspiracy within a half hour or so of Victor stumbling upon the crime.

Unless Joe was smart enough to realize that if he could convince Victor to take this one action now (lying in a 911 call), he could convince Victor afterwards that he was a part of the conspiracy now, whether he wanted to be or not

emg
emg
13 years ago
Reply to  mw

It’s possible that when Victor made the phone call he did not know the full scope of what had transpired- Only what Joe had told him. Victor seems to be very emotional and Joe might not have trusted him with too many details at that point. Having read Dylan’s interview I found him believeable. He came out of his room to chaos and may have been in shock. But he also knew he should take his cues from Joe. And so he said nothing. Perhaps because he knew nothing.

Again 2 of the 3 were lawyers. They knew it is important to stick to the truth as close as possible to avoid inconsistencies. It is quite possible that Victor was upstairs the whole time where Joe told him to stay. Victor did not question why. Dylan was asleep as he said.

Joe was downstairs with Michael who may have left before Victor or Dylan even appeared. Joe thought he had plenty of time to fix the scene but Victor heard something and came downstairs. He screams waking up Dylan and then Joe knew the police had to be called. Too many players. He either tells them that Michael did it or more likely there must have been an intruder. They initially believe him.
When they realize the truth-maybe days or weeks later- Joe scares them into believing they could be in real trouble and police could suspect them so they have to stick together. Again they go along.

If the prosecution presents a strong case i believe either Victor or Dylan will fold.

AnnaZed
AnnaZed
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

“…Again 2 of the 3 were lawyers.”

Of the three men, only Joe is a lawyer.

emg
emg
13 years ago
Reply to  AnnaZed

Didn’t Dylan graduate from Georgetown law? he wasn’t practicing but had a legal background.

Clio
Clio
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

No, Lil’ Dyl was an undergraduate at Georgetown, studying to be a diplomat (“who carried on his shoulders a Siamese cat … ?”) I guess that “it was hard when he discovered that, it really wasn’t where it was at …” So, he eventually decided to “make a deal” … with Culuket!

Craig
Admin
13 years ago
Reply to  Clio

“You said you’d never compromise; With the mystery tramp, but now you realize; He’s not selling any alibis”

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

No, he did not.

See the link for his bio at the top of the page

DonnaH
DonnaH
13 years ago
Reply to  mw

I believe Victor was the most logical choice to make the phone call. Though we’d like to see otherwise, no one has yet impeached Victor’s devotion to Joe. One of the most important things at that point was to make the intruder story believeable, and Victor’s hysteria–whatever mix of real or feigned it was–was an important component in that, and would also focus the 911 operator partly on calming Victor down rather than gathering lots of facts. On the other hand, Joe (and, I think likely, Dylan) were probably so frazzled and mentally exhausted at that point that they hardly had the energy to fake a believable-sounding 911 call–as buttressed by the impression of the EMT worker who first arrived.

emg
emg
13 years ago
Reply to  DonnaH

In listening to the 911 call I was pretty surprised that the operator never asked Victor for his name, nor the name of the victim, nor the name of the person providing CPR. Especially since it was an apparent murder.
I don’t think Victor knew much when he made the call. Joe was so calm because he had known about it (or participated)for probably 40 minutes, I think he asked Victor to do it because V. would be more believeable.

What was really telling and frightening was the EMT description of Joe sitting on the bed with his back to the door- NOT applying pressure as he was intructed to do. Joe never turned around when EMT entered which “made the hair on the EMT’s neck’ stand up. The EMT actually moved around to the other side of the bed so he never had his back to Joe. Forget forensics and available evidence-sometimes the “gut feeling ” is the most accurate in the end. Others felt the same way over the next several days. His good long time friend had been murdered and he never shed a tear for him.

Although V. expresses concern to the 911 operator that someone might be downstairs she tells him he needs to open the door for the EMTs. Sounds like she didnt believe he was really afraid.

Carolina
Carolina
13 years ago
Reply to  emg

911 isn’t going to waste time asking details that won’t keep the victim alive, and they already knew where the call originated.

DavidR
DavidR
13 years ago

Since the trial is asleep this week as well I can not help but wonder what must be going through all of their heads. They have all week to think about and discuss what has happened so far. They are all living in the same house with an aunt right?

There has to be a lot of convincing by one or two to the rest that things are going well but there has to be doubt too in the one or two the least involved. People all think if the trial is going badly one of them would fold. At what point would the tide turn so one would know for sure they were all going to jail for a long time?

I can not imagine there is much sleep this week and I wonder if any of them are even out socially or trying to relieve the stress of it all somehow. They must have friends I suspect that they talk too. I just can’t imagine the tension and stress they are all enduring. And when they do talk about it together they can only do so in extreme privacy lest someone might hear.

How does one cope in such a situation? I am sure there must be something to their defensive case that is keeping them going. Maybe something we do not yet know. I don’t know how they are doiong it. It’s really beyond me.

Elizabeth
Elizabeth
13 years ago

I’m not sure if this post fits here or not, but here goes. Although it is irrelevant for this trial, there has been a lot of speculation on the alleged sexual assault, including some posting of sperm vs. seminal fluid and voiding. I had a friend die suddenly in her bed. There was excrement present that friends of the victim and her family cleaned up that night after the EMT’s had gone, but before the professional cleaners came. I was told that is a very natural process at the time of death. Is that accurate? Would that be found if someone had been stabbed to death? I have not read anything about this, so does that further point to tampering/cleaning of the murder scene? Forgive my crassness.

ramknts
ramknts
13 years ago
Reply to  Elizabeth

I haven’t seen anyone ask about this yet, so I don’t know if there is a better spot for it!

At death, about half of people urinate, defecate, or do both.

We have seen pictures of the bed sheet but have only heard specifically about the presence of blood patches. I think the presence of other body fluids, rather than the absence, would say more at this point. (The defense could argue he excreted no fluids.)

The autopsy report noted 35 mL of urine in Mr. Wone’s bladder. I think these are the only times I have seen anything related to this topic mentioned in either the case documents or court proceedings. Wish we knew more (as usual).

obsessed
obsessed
13 years ago

How do any of the theories offered above address the semen found on Robert and, specifically, inside his rectum– notably, his own semen? If Michael did it, and the other 3 are covering up for him, did he also sexually assault Robert? Also, how does the defense deal with the semen in his rectum? Is there any innocent explanation for that?!?

Bill 2
Bill 2
13 years ago
Reply to  obsessed

Nobody is dealing with those things for this trial. This trial is not about sexual assault nor murder.