Four Witnesses Testify During Murder Trial

By Holden Rafey [former] - October 27, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | stabbing | Suspects | Victims |

Four witnesses testified during the second day of a murder trial at the DC Superior Court.

Robert Dean, 63, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 38-year-old Tamiya White with a screwdriver on March 31, 2018.

According to court documents, at approximately 4:58 p.m., the victim was driving in Northeast, DC, when she pulled into a McDonald’s parking lot on the 1900 block of 9th Street, NE, and entered the lobby, seeking help for her injuries while holding her neck. She was pronounced dead approximately 30 minutes later.

During the Oct. 26 proceedings, a long-time friend of Dean’s testified that he received a text from the defendant that read, “I feel that I am about to go to jail.” The witness then spoke to Dean on the phone and told him he would pick him up in a few hours. When the witness picked Dean up, the defendant said he had stabbed a woman after she had hit him in the face, he said.

A married couple who lived nearby Dean also took the witness stand. After his friend dropped him back off, Dean went to the couple’s apartment and stayed the night there. Dean also allegedly told the couple that he had stabbed a woman after she hit him in the face. The witnesses said Dean claimed to have followed the woman to her car to ask for money that she owed him. When he confronted her, she allegedly reached into her vehicle and struck him with an object.

During cross-examination, the witnesses confirmed to defense attorneys Jonathan Armstrong and Anthony Matthews that they believe Dean approached the victim with the sole intent of discussing the money she owed him. 

The prosecution also brought in an expert witness to examine cell phone evidence. The forensic scientist explained how data was retrieved from the defendant’s phone to verify the authenticity of text and phone records. 

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo is presiding over the trial. Proceedings are set to resume on Oct. 27.