Suspect Caught in Logan Circle Stabbing of Wendy Martinez
Northwest D.C. resident charged with first-degree murder, police chief says
Twenty-three-year-old Anthony Crawford of Northwest has been arrested for the fatal stabbing of FiscalNote’s Chief of Staff Wendy Martinez.
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser said she feels “very confident” it is the right suspect at a press conference Thursday morning.
“Wendy’s murder has been devastating to her family and friends, people in this neighborhood, and [it’s] certainty damaging to all of our senses of safety,” Bowser said.
Crawford was taken to the hospital for a hand injury and charged with first-degree murder. He has a criminal history and did not cooperate with investigators, Police Chief Peter Newsham said.
Watch: D.C. Police Chief Briefs Public on Logan Circle Homicide, Arrest Made This Morning
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Investigators will be taking a look at his criminal past and whether he has a history of mental illness, the chief said at the news conference, held at the site of the stabbing in the 1400 block of 11th Street Northwest in the Logan Circle neighborhood of D.C.
“I live in this city. I think that it is unsettling for anyone who lives in this city to see something like this happen. This is a very isolated incident. We don’t see crimes very much like this, even during the course of my career,” Newsham said. “This is an extremely safe neighborhood. This is a very unusual incident.”
The suspect was caught on video after the attack on Tuesday just before 8 p.m. He was wearing a distinctive mustard color shirt, which he was not wearing at the time of his arrest Wednesday night in a Columbia Heights park, Newsham said.
The knife was also recovered from the scene.
Martinez, 35, was out for a jog, and sought help in a nearby takeout restaurant after the stabbing. Her family described her as an avid runner.
“A woman jogging on our street is a normal activity. … This is a woman who should be going to work today,” Bowser said.
There’s no indication the attacker knew Martinez. The stabbing was “unprovoked,” Newsham said, and the motive remains unclear.
[FiscalNote’s Wendy Martinez Killed in Logan Circle Stabbing]
“The entire FiscalNote family is shocked and deeply saddened to learn that Wendy Martinez, our Chief of Staff, was killed last night,” CEO Tim Hwang said in a statement Wednesday. “Wendy was an invaluable member of our team and a vibrant member of the community. Our thoughts and prayers are with Wendy’s family and friends.”
FiscalNote finalized the acquisition of CQ Roll Call from The Economist Group on Aug. 20.