Roehrs' Death Now Considered a Homicide

The death of Del Ray resident Elmer Roehrs is now being considered a homicide by the Alexandria Police Department following the results of an autopsy performed Thursday.

The 94-year-old was killed Wednesday evening in his home in the 2700 block of Holly Street in Del Ray. Police initially classified the case as a “suspicious death,” but did say Roehrs suffered trauma to his upper body.

According to a myfoxdc.com report, Roehrs was killed during an apparent burglary or robbery.

An investigation into the case continues.

Police identified Roehrs as the victim late Thursday morning.

See: Victim in Suspicious Death Identified as Elmer Roehrs.

Alexandria police detectives had been investigating a November 2012 burglary that occurred at the home where the victim was found.

The suspect in that burglary was located and arrested early Thursday morning by Alexandria police.

Marie Maybell Johnson, 45, of no fixed address, was arrested around 3:15 a.m. Thursday following a traffic stop in the 1400 block of Duke Street in Old Town. She was interviewed by police detectives and transported to the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center.

Johnson was charged with burglary and grand larceny for the Nov. 27, 2012 incident. She has not been charged in relation to the incident from Wednesday night. She is being held without bond.

The brick Colonial home where Roehrs’ lived had a history of break-ins. David Bouk, a resident of the house and believed to be the Roehrs’ stepson, reported two burglaries at the home in 2011. He even addressed City Council about the “persistent” issue that March, mentioning one of the burglaries occurred while he took his “mother’s husband” to the hospital.

Bouk said in those burglaries, jewelry and cash was taken from the house. A vehicle near the home was also burglarized that winter.

The incident is the first homicide in Alexandria since October 2011.

See: Alexandria Police Investigate Suspicious Death in Holly Street Home.

No murders were recorded in Alexandria in 2012. Alexandria resident Bob Cory McNeely was murdered in the 1200 block of Wythe Street in October 2011. DC resident Fabian D. Johnson was arrested in Georgia that November and pleaded guilty to the murder. He is serving a three-year, five-month sentence. 

The Del Ray area has experienced an uptick in burglaries and robberies in 2013, including two gunpoint robbery incidents, two home break-ins and two business burglaries since Jan. 14.

On Monday night, members of the Alexandria Police Department briefed the Del Ray Citizens Association on investigations into those incidents.

Anyone with information about Roehrs' death is asked to call the Criminal Investigations Section of the Alexandria Police Department at 703-746-6711.