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By
D.C. Witness Staff
- April 5, 2017
Homicides
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Suspects
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Hours before Dennis Wise, 51, was found dead, he flagged down police to report an alleged assault by a man named “Kenneth.”
Sometime later that day, that same man allegedly fatally stabbed Wise, according to charging documents.
Police identified “Kenneth” as Kenneth Rice, a man who among others, lived with Wise in a house on 1800 block of Bruce Pl., SE.
On March 10 around 11 p.m., when police arrived to the house to investigate the assault, the homeowner told officers Wise and Rice got into a fight over food and were told to “take it outside.” The fight was short and about five minutes later they were back in the house, according to the homeowner.
Charging documents detailing the investigation noted this was not the first time officers were called to the address for assault. The document detailed six instances when police were called to the house, and four of those calls resulted in arrests. Wise was arrested and charged twice, though the charges were later dropped.
This call did not result in an arrest. The issue was resolved and police left the scene, only to return a short time later.
Officers arrived at the house around 2:11 a.m. and found Wise face down on a bed upstairs with the homeowner crying nearby. Wise was pronounced dead on the scene.
Upon their arrival, a forensic investigator found Wise endured multiple lacerations to his right hand, and both arms, consistent with defensive wounds.
After conducting an autopsy, a coroner determined Wise’s cause of death as a stab wound to the chest and noted he also sustained two broken ribs.
According to a witness interview, the homeowner told police they left the house and took a walk shortly after officers left the house. When they left both Wise and Rice were in the house. However, when the witness returned Rice was dead and Wise was gone.
While Wise’s crime scene was under investigation, officers responded to a burglary on V Street, SE. At the scene police arrested and charged Rice with destruction of property and unlawful entry, charges associated with his allegedly role in the burglary.
While at the police department, officers noted Rice had blood on his left hand. When asked about it Rice attempted to wipe it off. Officers also observed Rice spitting on his left hand and rubbing it on his pants as he was brought into a room to be interviewed.
Once in the room Rice invoked his Miranda Rights and asked for a lawyer. He also asked to make a phone and during which police heard Rice say, “I’m gonna be gone for some years,” and, “ I ain’t never gonna see my kids again.”
Rice is being held without bond as he faces second-degree while armed murder charges.
He is expected in court April 13.