A defendant accepted a plea deal for the murder of his wife before DC Superior Court Judge Judge Danya Dayson on June 26.
Charles Terry, 61, was originally charged with first-degree murder for his involvement in the fatal beating of his wife, 39-year-old Lennette Clark, on Jan. 30, 2023 on the 1500 block of Anacostia Avenue, NE.
According to court documents, the murder occurred in their home in the presence of their two children. Clark succumbed to her injuries, which include significant blood loss, blunt force trauma to the head, lacerations, and fractures.
The plea deal required Terry to plead guilty to second-degree murder while armed and agreed to a sentence of 17 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
Had the case gone to trial, prosecutors claimed they would have proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Terry killed Clark in their home, and one of their kids called a family member for help when they discovered her body.
Parties further agreed that Terry went to a family member’s house, who called 911 after they observed him acting erratically and with Clark’s blood on him.
Parties are scheduled to reconvene on Oct. 23 for sentencing.
