Robert Leroy Wright | Homicide Watch DC

Ellsworth Colbert Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison in Connection with Robert Wright Murder

Megan Arellano — Wed, 29 May 2013 21:18:07 -0400

Judge Herbert Dixon sentenced Ellsworth Colbert Wednesday to 17 years in prison for the March 2012 stabbing death of 38-year-old Robert Leroy Wright.

In January, a jury found Colbert, 56, guilty of voluntary manslaughter while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a dangerous weapon outside of a home or business in connection with the case.

During sentencing Wednesday, Colbert addressed the court at length, while asserting that he was not the instigator of the conflict between himself and Wright.

"I have remorse for Robert Wright's mother and my mother both," Colbert said. "Both mothers lost their sons. [I had] no intent of ever killing him, I was trying to defend myself."

The March 2012 altercation between Colbert and Wright centered around a disagreement on whether a dog Wright was walking had defecated on Colbert's yard. At trial, the defense argued that Colbert acted in self-defense.

At sentencing Wednesday, prosecutors argued that Colbert had a history of violent conduct, which included an incident in which Colbert stabbed a different man in the neck. According to prosecutors, Colbert often possessed "a sense of superiority."

James Rudasill Jr, Colbert's newly appointed defense attorney, did not dispute that Colbert had anger management issues, or a sense of superiority. Rudasill, though, explained Colbert's behavior by saying, "when you pushed him, he pushed back."

Before reading the terms of sentencing, Judge Dixon reflected on the conflict.

"It's difficult to make sense of the situation," Dixon said to Colbert. "You were concerned about dog defecation and from there, a full-blown escalation resulting in the death of Mr. Wright occurred."

Sentencing documents and a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office are below.

District Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison For Fatal Stabbing in Southeast Washington -Attack Followed Argument About the Victim’s Dog-

WASHINGTON – Ellsworth Colbert, 57, was sentenced today to 17 years in prison on charges stemming from a slaying in Southeast Washington during an argument over the victim’s dog, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Colbert, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury in January 2013 of manslaughter while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and carrying a dangerous weapon. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. Upon completion of his prison term, Colbert will be placed on five years of supervised release.

According to the evidence at trial, Colbert and the victim, Robert L. Wright, 37, became embroiled in an argument on the morning of March 4, 2012, in front of Colbert’s house in the 3500 block of Pope Street SE, in the Penn-Branch neighborhood. The trouble began after Mr. Wright and a friend walked their dog on Colbert’s property. Colbert became enraged and brandished a knife and a walking stick.

The altercation moved up the street to the house where the dog was kept, located in the 3600 block of Highwood Drive. During the course of the argument, Colbert lunged at Mr. Wright and cut him in the neck with his knife. Mr. Wright then retrieved a nearby shovel, and the two continued their altercation in the middle of the street. During the course of the fracas, Colbert tackled Mr. Wright to the pavement, causing him to lose possession of the shovel. Colbert then stabbed Mr. Wright in the back, chest and abdomen resulting in his death.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended those who worked on the case for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), including detectives, mobile crime technicians, and others. He acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Fern Rhedrick, San Lane, Phil Aronson, Kwasi Fields and Sharon Newman, Litigation Support Services Specialists Ron Royal and Josh Ellen; Intelligence Analyst Lawrence Grasso, and Victim Advocate Tamara Ince.

Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Feitel and Edward A. O’Connell, who prosecuted the case at trial.

Ellsworth Colbert Sentencing Documents (PDF)Ellsworth Colbert Sentencing Documents (Text)

Colbert Found Guilty of Lesser Charge of Manslaughter

Penny Ray — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 12:17:25 -0500

Jurors found Ellsworth Colbert guilty of manslaughter today in connection with the stabbing death of Robert Leroy Wright.

Colbert was charged with first-degree murder; manslaughter is a lesser charge. The jury also found Colbert guilty of two weapons charges.

Jurors deliberated for a day and a half before announcing their verdict at about 11 a.m. Friday.

“Juries do interesting things,” defense attorney James Beane Jr. said outside the courtroom after the verdict was read.

At trial, Beane argued that Colbert engaged in a struggle for his life after Wright grabbed a shovel from the side of a house in the Penn Branch neighborhood of Southeast D.C. and struck Colbert in the right side of his head.

“Mr. Colbert defended himself against a violent drunk and he survived,” Beane said.

Prosecutors argued that the stabbing was not in self-defense.

“He went up to an unarmed man, whom had walked a dog in his yard, and he stabbed him in the neck,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Feitel said during closing arguments.

A witness testified at trial that Colbert approached him and Wright outside Colbert's home after seeing them walk a dog through his yard. Colbert threatened to kill the dog and pulled a knife from his waistband, the witness said.

Another witness testified that Colbert complained to him that Wright was irresponsible for letting the dog defecate in Colbert's yard. But Wright made a comment about Colbert's family, and then Colbert lunged and cut Wright on the neck.

Wright then retrieved a shovel from the side of the house and fought Colbert in the street, according to the witness. The fight resulted in Wright's death.

In a pre-trial hearing a few weeks ago, Feitel said that the Colbert case was the fastest he has seen a homicide case go to trial. From the date Colbert was arrested and the start of the trial, only 10 months had passed.

Colbert is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Herbert Dixon March 18.

Jury Deliberations Begin in Ellsworth Colbert Murder Trial

Penny Ray — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 17:32:34 -0500

After six days of testimony, jurors were sent to deliberate Wednesday in the case against Ellsworth Colbert, who is charged with fatally stabbing his neighbor, Robert Leroy Wright, on March 4, 2012.

Colbert's defense attorney has argued that Colbert acted in self-defense, but prosecutors have argued that Colbert was the aggressor in the attack.

Colbert is charged with first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill and three weapons charges.

In closing arguments Wednesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Feitel asked jurors to find Colbert guilty of those crimes and told jurors that Colbert was "looking for a fight."

"He was gaming for a fight, and he got it. It wasn't much of a fight, though. He killed Robert Wright," Feitel said.

But defense attorney James Beane Jr. asked the jury to believe that the witnesses in the case conspired against Colbert and weren't being truthful with investigators.

“The reason they went to Mr. Colbert's house is because they wanted to mess with him; they wanted a response from him; they wanted a rise out of him,” Beane told the jury.

According to testimony in trial, the argument between Colbert and Wright started when Wright walked a dog past Colbert's house in the Penn Branch neighborhood of Southeast D.C.

Colbert, the witness said, emerged from his front door carrying a walking stick. He yelled, "Did your dog s— in my yard?"

Colbert then walked up to the men, pulled a knife from his waistband and said, “Is this your dog? I'm gonna kill this motherf—," the witness testified.

After Wright told Colbert that the dog, "Macho," belonged to someone else who lived in the neighborhood, Colbert charged up the street to confront that person, the witness said.

“What the evidence has shown is that this was a gradual escalation of Mr. Colbert's rage,” Feitel told the jury.

Another witness testified that Colbert approached him at his front door, demanding that Wright not be allowed to walk Macho. But Wright made a comment about Colbert's family, which prompted Colbert to lunge at Wright and cut him on the neck, the witness said.

Wright then retrieved a shovel from the side of the house and fought Colbert in the street, the witness said.

At some point during the fight, Colbert tackled Wright, and when Colbert arose from the pavement, he said, “I told you not to f— with me,” the witness testified.

Wright, meanwhile, stood up, took a few steps, and fell face-first on the sidewalk.

He later died at the hospital. An autopsy revealed cut wounds on Wright’s neck and left hand, and stab wounds to his back, abdomen and chest, one of which punctured his aorta.

“That was Robert Wright's mortal sin,” Feitel said during closing statements. “Because Mr. Wright was walking this dog, he got killed for it.”

But Beane argued that Colbert had actually turned to walk home just before Wright grabbed the shovel, but was unable to remove himself from the incident.

“He turned and engaged in a struggle for his life,” Beane told the jury.

Beane argued that the witnesses had plenty of time to stop the incident from escalating, but didn't because they were egging Colbert and Wright to fight. Both men testified that they initially felt the altercation was “laughable” due to the age disparity between Colbert, 56, and the 38-year-old Wright.

“What you have is three younger men laughing and joking about an older man who is concerned about the neighborhood,” Beane said.

Feitel, though, said Colbert was at fault because he approached Wright.

“You don't get to insinuate yourself into a situation, cause all the problem, and then claim self-defense,” Feitel said.

Jurors began deliberating at about 2:15 p.m. Wednesday. If a verdict is not reached Wednesday, deliberations will resume Thursday morning.

Witness: Wright and Colbert were "like two boxers meeting in the center of a ring"

Penny Ray — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 17:49:40 -0500

In a 911 call played Monday at court, jurors in Ellsworth Colbert's murder trial heard a firsthand account of the altercation that led to Robert Wright's death last year.

Colbert, 57, is suspected of stabbing and killing Wright on March 4, 2012, after a dispute involving a pit bull named Macho.

A witness who placed the 911 call testified Monday that he initially felt the altercation between Colbert and Wright was amusing because of the age disparity between the two men. After the witness saw Wright fall face down on the pavement, though, the situation quickly turned serious.

“I didn't think that this would resolve with somebody losing their life,” the witness said in Judge Herbert Dixon's courtroom.

On the recording, the witness is heard asking a 911 operator for help.

"I'm trying to report a stabbing; somebody just got stabbed," he says.

"Who was stabbed?"

"Robert Wright."

"Do you know who stabbed him?" the operator asked.

"I just know him by his nickname, Chub," the witness said, adding that the man stabbed Wright with a knife.

During the trial, the witness said that Colbert approached him carrying a walking stick and an open-blade knife and complained that Wright had allowed Macho to defecate in Colbert's yard.

Wright disagreed with Colbert's accusation, and he made a comment about Colbert's family, prompting Colbert to lunge at Wright and cut him on his neck, the witness testified.

Colbert then turned to walk away, while Wright dropped Macho's leash and retrieved a shovel from the side of the witness's house.

According to testimony, as Colbert walked away he repeatedly yelled, "I'm gonna get my son to f-- you up."

After Wright returned from the side of the house carrying a shovel, he and Colbert squared up in the middle of the street outside the witness's home in the Penn Branch neighborhood of Southeast D.C.

"It was like two boxers meeting in the center of a ring," the witness testified.

The two men swung at each other, Colbert with his walking stick and Wright using the shovel. Then Colbert tackled Wright.

Colbert and Wright tussled in the street. But after Wright stood up, he took a couple steps, yelled, "You gonna stab me?" and then fell face first on the sidewalk, according to trial testimony.

An autopsy later revealed cut wounds on Wright’s neck and left hand, and stab wounds to his back, abdomen and chest, one of which punctured his aorta.

On Monday, Damon Colbert--Ellsworth Colbert's son--testified that he and Wright had a brief altercation 20 years ago, which resulted in Damon punching Wright to the ground. Damon Colbert also testified that his father's nickname is Chub.

The trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday morning in Judge Dixon's courtroom.

'This Case is Not About a Dog,' Defense Attorney Says in Opening Statements at Ellsworth Colbert Trial

Penny Ray — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 21:04:17 -0500

Jurors charged with determining guilt in a neighborhood argument that left one man dead heard opening arguments in the case today.

The defendant, Ellsworth Colbert, 57, is charged with first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill, and three weapons charges in connection with the stabbing death of 38-year-old Robert Wright.

Prosecutors told jurors the crime was a neighborhood dispute over a dog which turned deadly violent. But Colbert's defense attorney disagreed, arguing to jurors that the man on trial was not the agressor, that he was fighting for his life when he stabbed neighbor Wright.

“This case is not about a dog,” defense attorney James Beane Jr. told jurors.

During opening statements, prosecutors argued that on the morning of March 4, 2012, Wright and a friend were walking a pit bull named Macho in the Penn Branch neighborhood of Southeast D.C. when Colbert emerged from his front door carrying a knife and a walking stick and yelled, “Whose dog is that? Is that your dog? I'm gonna kill that motherf—.”

Prosecutors say Colbert then walked to a neighbor's house and told the neighbor that Wright was “irresponsible” for walking the dog in Colbert's yard. Wright then said something to the friend who had accompanied him on the walk, and Colbert asked, “What did you say?”

Colbert then walked over to Wright, cut him on his neck, and turned to walk back to his house.

According to prosecutors, Wright then went into his friend's backyard, grabbed a shovel, returned to Colbert, and proceeded to fight him. As both men swung at each other—Colbert using his walking stick and Wright using the shovel—Colbert tackled Wright.

The men tussled, but when Wright stood up he said, “You gonna stab me?” and fell face first on the sidewalk.

An autopsy later revealed cut wounds on Wright's neck and left hand, and stab wounds to his back, abdomen and chest, one of which punctured his aorta.

Colbert's attorney, James Beane Jr, argued that it was Wright who provoked Colbert, not the other way around.

“This case is about Robert Wright hitting Mr. Colbert in the head with a shovel," Beane said.

Beane said Colbert was leaving his house for his morning walk when he saw Wright and a friend walking Macho. He said Colbert went to the neighbor's house and called Wright “irresponsible,” but Wright prevented him from returning to his home. Beane argued that Wright retrieved a shovel from behind the house and hit Colbert in the head for no reason.

“Mr. Colbert fought for his life,” Beane said. “The reason we're here is because Mr. Colbert survived. Mr. Wright did not.”

The trial will resume Thursday at 9:30 a.m. in Judge Herbert Dixon's courtroom.

Jury Selection Begins in Ellsworth Colbert Trial

Penny Ray — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 17:04:32 -0500

Jury selection began Tuesday in the trial against Ellsworth Colbert.

Because there were not enough jurors to complete the process Tuesday, jury selection is scheduled to continue Wednesday morning in Judge Herbert Dixon's courtroom.

Colbert, 56, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and several weapons charges in connection with the stabbing death of 38-year-old Robert Wright.

Prosecutors say that Colbert, brandishing a walking stick and a knife, argued with Wright the morning of March 4, 2012 and punched Wright in the back of his head in a dispute over Wright's dog's "mess." They say Wright then grabbed a shovel and used it to strike Colbert. An autopsy showed that Wright had been stabbed several times.

Ellsworth Colbert's Trial to Begin Next Week

Penny Ray — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:36:59 -0500

Judge Herbert Dixon moved forward with Ellsworth Colbert's trial Wednesday morning, denying a motion to continue the trial and insisting that it go forward as scheduled next week.

Colbert is charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and three weapons charges in connection with the stabbing death of Robert Wright.

The motion to continue the trial against Colbert was sent by email last night. Defense attorney James Beane Jr. pleaded with Judge Dixon to continue the trial Wednesday, stating that the trial exhibits have not yet been prepared and will probably not be ready by trial. Beane further stated that the defense investigator has not yet served subpoenas to all of the witnesses.

Prosecutors opposed the continuance citing several key witnesses who reside outside the D.C. area that may not be able to attend a new trial date.

Last month, Judge Thomas Motley granted a motion to disqualify Damon Colbert, Ellsworth Colbert's son, as co-counsel. According to Beane, Damon Colbert is restricted from participating as his father's counsel at trial. However, Damon can consult Ellsworth outside the courtroom.

Currently at issue is whether or not Ellsworth's cell phone contains information exchanged between he and his son that is protected by attorney-client privilege. Prosecutors are awaiting the evaluation by an outside attorney to determine if certain information is in fact privileged. Prosecutors expect to have a determination by Monday.

Pre-trial motions are also expected to be presented Monday.

Motion To Disqualify Damon Colbert As Defense Counsel (PDF)Motion To Disqualify Damon Colbert As Defense Counsel (Text)

Defendant's Opposition To Disqualify Damon Colbert (PDF)Defendant's Opposition To Disqualify Damon Colbert (Text)

Ellsworth Colbert's Attorney Son Seeks to Represent Father

Penny Ray — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 10:29:10 -0500

A DC attorney whose father is suspected of murder may be allowed to try the case in front of a jury early next year.

Ellsworth Colbert's son, Damon Colbert, has signed on to his father's case as co-counsel. Prosecutors oppose Damon Colbert's representation. On Friday Judge Thomas Motley appeared skeptical of the effort as well.

Ellsworth Colbert is accused of stabbing Robert Wright in March. At a preliminary hearing that same month, MPD Detective Kenniss Weeks testified that investigators believe Wright and Colbert began fighting when Wright's pitbull may have strayed into Colbert's yard.

Weeks said that according to witnesses, Colbert, brandishing a walking stick and a knife, began arguing with Wright and punched Wright in the back of his head. Wright grabbed a shovel and used it to strike Colbert. The two continued to fight, then separated and Wright fell to the ground. An initial autopsy showed that Wright had been stabbed several times, including once in the right side of his chest, perforating his aorta.

Colbert was indicted in October on charges of first-degree murder, assault and carrying a dangerous weapon. He pled innocent.

His son, Damon Colbert, is an attorney for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and has signed on as co-counsel, with attorney James Beane, to Ellsworth Colbert's case. According to the DC Bar, Colbert was admitted to the Bar in 2002.

Motley appeared skeptical Friday of Damon Colbert's ability to represent his father because Damon Colbert had testified about the case in front of a grand jury.

“You cannot represent someone when you're going to be a witness, and there's no question that you're going to be called,” Motley said. “It could put your case in unfavorable light if the jury sees you as counsel and then sees you on the witness stand.”

Damon Colbert said he did not believe that he would be called as a witness at trial.

Prosecutors said Friday that Damon Colbert would be called to testify at trial. The government has filed a motion to disqualify Damon Colbert from working on the case.

Though Damon Colbert has never represented a murder defendant before, he pleaded with the court to allow him to represent his father as “strategic counsel.”

“I don't know how it's going to work, but this is my father here,” Colbert said.

Motley will hear arguments on the motion Dec. 18. The trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 7, 2013.

Ellsworth Colbert Held in Stabbing Death of Robert Wright

Laura Amico — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:20:00 -0400

Judge Frederick Sullivan found probable cause today in the case against Ellsworth Colbert, a 56-year-old Southeast DC man suspected of fatally stabbing his 37-year-old neighbor earlier this month.

Sullivan also ruled that Colbert should be held while the grand jury investigates the case.

"We're talking about murder here," he said. "We're talking about someone dead."

Detective Kenniss Weeks testified at the hearing Thursday, saying that according to MPD's investigation Robert Wright was walking a pitbull named "Macho" the morning of March 4 and walked past Colbert's house. The dog did not defecate on, urinate on, or otherwise soil Colbert's property, Weeks said, but may have walked or stepped on it. Initial reports indicated that Colbert became enraged about dog "mess" in his yard.

Weeks said that according to witnesses, Colbert, brandishing a walking stick and a knife, began arguing with Wright and punched Wright in the back of his head. Wright grabbed a shovel and used it to strike Colbert. The two continued to fight, then separated and Wright fell to the ground. An initial autopsy showed that Wright had been stabbed several times, including once in the right side of his chest, perforating his aorta.

Weeks said Colbert made three statements to police:
"I'm the one you're looking for; I did it."
"Here I am."
"The mother f*** that tried to stab Damon tried to hit me with a shovel. I f*** his a** up."

Weeks said Colbert's son's name is Damon, but that she had no knowledge of any altercations between Colbert's son and Wright.

James Beane, Colbert's attorney, submitted to the court on probable cause, but argued that Colbert is in poor health and his condition would deteriorate at DC Jail. Beane said Colbert is diabetic and has lung problems. Sullivan said he agreed with Beane that Colbert's health would worsen, but said that the crime was "a very bad event" and that detainment was warranted.

A status hearing is scheduled for July 12.

Courtland Milloy: "Fatal D.C. stabbing makes a case for handguns"

Laura Amico — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:45:58 -0500

Washington Post Columnist Courtland Milloy argues that the stabbing that left Robert Wright dead on Sunday could have been avoided if Wright had been allowed to, and choose to, carry a gun.

He writes:

To better understand the benefits of a “concealed carry” firearm, consider how the encounter between Wright and Colbert might have unfolded if Wright had been armed and followed a basic self-defense protocol:

According to police reports, Colbert comes out of his house with a knife in one hand and a stick in the other. Being alert to the approaching threat, an armed Wright would now have several options. He could pull his gun, say, a .40-caliber Glock semiautomatic, which speaks volumes without firing a shot: “Never bring a knife to a gunfight, pal.”

Or he could just wait until the assailant gets close enough to meet the legal definition of justifiable homicide.

Say what you will about the perils of gun ownership, but nobody can doubt that Wright would be alive today if he’d had one.

Links Roundup: Ellsworth Colbert and Robert Wright

Laura Amico — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 16:03:40 -0500

Ellsworth Colbert was ordered held yesterday on suspicion of second degree murder in the stabbing death of Robert Wright.

Some news reports, including this one from CBSDC/AP say that the crime occurred when the two men fought over a dog defecating on a lawn.

But WUSA reports that Colbert's attorney says Wright threatened his client with the dog.

Macho the Dog is tied up on the back porch of his home, no sign that he could have been intimidating enough to push a man to murder. But James Beane, Colbert's lawyer said that's exactly what happened. He says Wright and the dog's owner cornered Colbert and threatened him with the dog. "Anybody who thinks this had anything to do with dog poop doesn't know what they're talking about," he said.

The Washington Post reports that Colbert is known in city politics, adding that he testified just Thursday at a city meeting.

On Thursday, Colbert testified before D.C. Council member Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) during her oversight proceedings for the Office of Employee Appeals during which he said he had been unemployed since a 1997 incident in which he was fired from his job as a traffic signal technician after an altercation with his boss.

He had previously been barred from the John A. Wilson Building. D.C. Council Secretary Nyasha Smith said Monday that the stay-away order was in effect as recently as last March but has since expired.

“This has been going on for 14 years,” Colbert testified Thursday. “I guess they thought I was going to die . . . but I ain’t. I’ve been here 56 years. I’m Southeast born, I’m Southeast bred, and when I die, I’ll be Southeast dead.”

Charging documents describe fight over dog before stabbing

Lindsey Anderson — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:03:21 -0500

Ellsworth Colbert was ordered held today on a charge of second-degree murder while armed in the death of Robert Wright, a man prosecutors say died in a fight about a dog.

According to the charging documents, Wright, 37, was walking a dog in the 3500 block of Pope Street SE when he encountered Colbert, 56.

Colbert was upset about the dog being near his yard and confronted Wright about it, asking who the owner of the dog was. When Wright told him, Colbert walked to the owner’s house with a knife and a walking stick in hand.

But Colbert continued arguing with Wright and a witness said that after the men walked to the dog owners' home Colbert punched Wright multiple times in the back of the head and body.

Wright grabbed a shovel from the rear of the home, then walked back toward Colbert as if to strike him. The men continued the fight, striking each other with the shovel and walking stick.

After the fight, the two separated and Wright collapsed on the ground. Two witnesses said Wright had been stabbed several times. Wright died from stabbing wounds yesterday morning at Prince George’s County Hospital.

Colbert’s attorney entered a “not guilty” plea today at his court appearance.

Colbert is scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 15 at 9:25 a.m. with Judge Thomas Motley.

Charging Documents: Ellsworth Colbert

Laura Amico — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 14:21:23 -0500

The charging documents in the case against Ellsworth Colbert are below. We'll have more details from his appearance today at DC Superior Court later this afternoon.

Links Roundup: Ellsworth Colbert Due in Court Today on Murder Charge

Laura Amico — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 08:55:03 -0500

WJLA, Fox5 and WTOP have reports this morning adding to yesterday's news that Ellsworth Colbert, a local campaign volunteer, had been arrested on suspicion of fatally stabbing his neighbor, Robert Wright. Watch news reports after the jump.

DC City Council Campaign Worker Faces Murder Charges after Fatal Stabbing: MyFoxDC.com

Robert Wright Killed in Sunday Morning Stabbing over "Dog Mess"

Laura Amico — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 17:55:43 -0500

UPDATED with press release from MPD at bottom of story.

A fight over dog "mess" left one man dead in a Southeast DC neighborhood Sunday morning.

The Washington Post reported earlier today that a man was unconscious and not breathing following a stabbing assault in the 3600 block of Highwood Drive SE.

According to a report from WJLA and an announcement on a neighborhood listserve, the victim, identified as Robert Wright, has died. Wright's neighbor, Ellsworth Colbert, is in custody, WJLA reports.

Wrote Julie E. Rones on the Hillcrest DC listserv:

It is with extreme sadness that I just learned about the unfortunate demise of a 34 year old who grew up around here and who played with a neighbor's son when they were little.The
older one and the younger one got in an altercation allegedly precipitated by the older one over dog mess. They fought on Highwood Dr. near Carpenter and the younger one was stabbed and died this morning.

The message was cross-posted to East of the River and other local forums.

Reported WJLA:

Ellsworth Colbert, a volunteer on Kevin Chavous's D.C. Council Campaign, has killed his neighbor, 37-year-old Robert Wright, police say.

Colbert has been charged with second degree murder while armed, police say.

Councilmember Yvette Alexander tells ABC7 that while details remain sketchy, it appears a dog belonging to either the victim or suspect defecated on the other's property, starting an argument.

MPD issued a press release Sunday evening. It read:

March 4, 2012

Homicide & Arrest: 3600 Block of Highwood Drive, SE

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide branch have announced that an arrest has been made in the fatal stabbing which occurred in the 3600 block of Highwood Drive, SE.

On Sunday, March 4, 2012, at approximately 10:17 am units from the Sixth District responded to the 3600 block of Highwood Dr., SE to investigate the report of a male who had been stabbed. Upon their arrival, they located an adult male suffering from stab wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel transported the victim to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The decedent was identified as 37-year-old Robert Leroy Wright of Southeast, Washington, DC.

On Sunday, March 4, 2012, at approximately 11:01 am, homicide detectives arrested 56 year-old Ellsworth Colbert of Southeast, Washington, DC, charging him with Murder Two while Armed in the fatal stabbing of Robert Leroy Wright.