Marcus McLean pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of second-degree murder while armed in the stabbing death of Delando King in Northwest DC.
According to McLean’s statement, he and King went to King’s apartment early in the morning of Aug. 8, 2010 to have sex. Once King undressed, McLean, armed with a butcher-style kitchen knife, stabbed King more than two dozen times, then threw bleach on King’s body. McLean then took King’s wallet, credit card, i-pod, laptop computer, and a bag. He used the credit card to purchase refreshments, clothes, and see a movie before being arrested about six days later.
McLean was arraigned in March 2011 on charges including felony murder while armed, first-degree murder while armed, robbery while armed and first degree theft while armed. A trial was set for this month.
According to the terms of the plea deal, McLean could be sentenced to 24 to 28 years in prison on the charge of second-degree murder while armed. The maximum sentence for that crime is 40 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 13.
The plea agreement, and McLean’s statement, is below.
Update 4:19 p.m. The US Attorney’s Office has issued the following press release in connection with this case:
District Man Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Murder While Armed
In 2010 Stabbing in Northwest Washington
- Victim Was Brutally Attacked in His Apartment -WASHINGTON - Marcus Mclean, 25, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to a charge of second-degree murder while armed in a stabbing that took place in August 2010 at an apartment in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.
Mclean pled guilty on April 18, 2012 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Under the plea agreement, subject to the Court’s approval, he faces a sentence of not less than 24 years and not more than 28 years of incarceration, which is above the D.C. sentencing guidelines for this charge. The Honorable Robert E. Morin scheduled sentencing for July 13, 2012.
The government’s evidence showed that, on August 8, 2010, Mclean met the victim, Delando King, who was gay, at a local bar. At about 3 a.m., the men walked together from a bar in downtown Washington to Mr. King’s apartment in the 1100 block of 10th Street NW.
Once inside Mr. King’s apartment, Mclean armed himself with a large butcher knife and stabbed Mr. King so that he was incapable of defending himself. Mclean then continued to stab Mr. King repeatedly, inflicting a total of 28 stab wounds to the body, including six that penetrated Mr. King’s heart. Mclean also inflicted multiple cuts to the arms, hands, and legs of Mr. King. As a direct result of these wounds, Mr. King died.
Mr. King, 34, originally from New Mexico and a member of the Navajo Nation, was an employee of the U.S. Indian Health Service at the time of his death.
Mclean suffered no injuries in the violent assault. After stabbing Mr. King to death, Mclean poured bleach on the body and attempted to the clean the crime scene. He took items of property from Mr. King, including his wallet, credit card, an iPod, and a laptop computer. Mclean used Mr. King’s credit card within an hour after the murder to purchase refreshments at a local CVS store. Over the next 36 hours, before Mr. King’s body was found, Mclean used the credit card to see a movie and purchase clothes and food. Mclean gave the iPod to his sister.
Multiple surveillance videos captured Mclean with Mr. King shortly before the murder, and captured Mclean using the credit card in various establishments in D.C. and Maryland shortly after the murder.
Since the fall of 2011, Mclean attempted to raise multiple self-defense and mental health claims, to include insanity. Mclean was found criminally responsible and sane at the time of the murder by Court and government experts. The case was scheduled for trial on April 24, 2012.
As part of his plea, Mclean admitted that Mr. King did not threaten, harm, or assault him prior to or during the murder, and that Mclean did not act in self-defense. Mclean further admitted that he was sane at the time of the murder and that he acted willfully, intentionally, and voluntarily when he stabbed Mr. King to death.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the efforts of the Metropolitan Police Department officers who were involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case, including Detectives Brian Wise, Hosam Nasr, Jed Worrell, Thomas Austin-Braxton, Kennis Weeks, and Lee Littlejohn; Officers Matt Romeo, Reginald Tolbert, and Michael Mocca; Crime Scene Officers George Klein, John Holder, James Holder, Michael DePrince, Julius Smith, and Jay Gregory; and members of MPD’s Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit, including Officers Justin Markiewicz and Zunnobia Hakir.
U.S. Attorney Machen also cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including paralegal Kelly Blakeney and victim advocate Marcey Rinker. He also thanked Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Kennedy, and paralegal Benjamin Kagan-Guthrie, who assisted with the mental health issues raised by the defense; Assistant U.S. Attorney J.P. Cooney, who assisted with preparation of the case for trial, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kerkhoff, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
