Man charged in domestic homicide rejects plea offer

By D.C. Witness Staff - January 26, 2017
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

The man charged with the fatal stabbing of Cheryl Schafer last April rejected a plea deal Thursday.

Charles Sykes, charged with second-degree murder while armed, entered a not guilty plea by reason of insanity. The government had extended a plea deal, where Sykes would plead guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed. The relationship between Sykes and Schafer was not disclosed, but police have classified the homicides as domestic in nature.

Police received a call for a suspicious package in the apartment building in the 4000 block of Tunlaw Road, NW at around 6:10 a.m. last April. Police later tweeted that the homicide was a domestic incident, and a person of interest had been detained.

When responding to the building, police found Schafer with stab wounds. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.

A status hearing was scheduled for April 24.