Local
Opposing attorneys spar as Wone trial begins
Prosecutors say case ‘not about sexual orientation’
Opposing attorneys in the complex Robert Wone murder conspiracy trial clashed during opening arguments Monday over whether the defendants’ sexual orientation prompted authorities to prosecute them.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Kirschner said the government would point to the fact that Joseph Price, 39, Victor Zaborsky, 44, and Dylan Ward, 39, were in a three-way relationship as a means of showing that their “strong bond” played a role in their alleged conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Wone, a Washington attorney, was found stabbed to death in a guest room in the men’s Dupont Circle area townhouse in August 2006. The defendants, all of whom are gay, have been indicted on charges of obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and evidence tampering in connection with the police investigation of the murder. No one has been charged with the murder.
The men face a maximum sentence of 38 years in prison if found guilty on all three charges.
“This case is not about sexual orientation,” Kirschner told D.C. Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz, who is poised to decide the men’s fate after the prosecution and defense attorneys opted to forego a jury trial.
“This case is not about the personal relationship of these three. There is nothing negative that can be inferred due to the sexual orientation or the lifestyle choices of these men,” he said.
But he noted that Price, Zaborsky and Ward “had powerful bonds among them,” which amounted to a “tight knit family” that is protecting its members from the harm that would come to them “if the truth came out.”
Kirschner then spent more than an hour outlining the government’s contention that the men tampered with the crime scene, repeatedly misled police and homicide detectives investigating the murder, and know but refuse to disclose the identity of the person or people who fatally stabbed Wone three times in the chest.
He reiterated the government’s assertion in numerous briefs and a police affidavit that the evidence refutes the defendants’ claim that an intruder killed Wone after entering the house from a rear door while they were asleep in their bedrooms.
Among other things, Kirschner noted that paramedics and crime scene investigators found far less blood on the bed where Wone was found with three “gaping” stab wounds and found no signs of a struggle or defensive wounds. He said this is evidence of crime scene tampering.
Defense attorneys representing the three gay men countered that the evidence doesn’t support any of the government’s allegations, including an assertion that more blood should have been found on the scene. From the moment homicide detectives arrived at the house to investigate the murder, they became “marred and infatuated in a theory based on ignorance,” prompting them to suspect the men were involved in the murder, said Price’s attorney, Bernard Grimm.
“Why is a straight man coming to the house of a gay man,” Grimm quoted a detective as saying while interviewing one of the defendants.
Grimm said the defense would present expert witnesses to prove that one of the three stab wounds that pierced Wone’s heart would have rendered him dead within five seconds or less. Grimm said this, rather than a sinister conspiracy, was the reason there were no signs of a struggle and more blood did not flow from the wounds.
And he said there was “no orchestrating of the crime scene,” contesting the evidence tampering charge.
Ward’s defense attorney, David Schertler, said prosecutors were basing their case on “faulty assumptions, speculation and innuendo.”
Following the opening arguments, Wone’s wife, Katherine Wone, took the stand as the first government witnesses. In response to questions by Kirschner, she told how her husband met Price and recounted the friendship they shared as undergraduate students at the College of William & Mary in Virginia.
She said that her husband, whom Kirschner described as “exclusively straight,” arranged to spend the night at the home of Price, Zaborsky and Ward on the night of the murder because he planned to work late at his nearby office at Radio Free Asia, where he served as general counsel.
The trial, which is expected to last weeks, recessed shortly before 5 p.m. Monday. Katherine Wone was to return and complete her testimony Tuesday.
D.C. attorney Dale Edwin Sanders, who practices criminal law, said the part of the government’s case that appears the strongest is its assertion that no evidence exists to show an intruder entered the house to kill Wone. He noted that in cases based on circumstantial evidence, sometimes “missing” evidence becomes the key to the case.
In his opening arguments, Kirschner noted that an intruder would have had to scale a seven-foot security fence surrounding the back yard of the house, even if the rear door to the house was unlocked, as the defense says was likely.
He pointed to police findings that there were no footprints or other signs that someone jumped into the patio and grounds inside the fence. He said police findings also showed that dust, pollen and other debris on the top surface of the fence was “completely” undisturbed, indicating that an intruder did not go over the fence.
Additionally, Kirschner asked if an intruder entered the premises to burglarize the house, as suggested by the defense, why didn’t he take a host of valuable items in clear view, including a laptop computer, which were in his path en route to the guest room where Wone slept.
Schertler, however, disputed the arguments. Among other things, he said that an intruder could have bypassed the fence by using a nearby trash container to climb onto a shed next to the house where Price, Zaborsky and Ward lived, and jumped over the fence. He also noted that the prosecution could not determine the intruder’s “state of mind” as to why he did not steal anything in the house.
District of Columbia
David Archuleta, Monroe Alise named D.C. Pride parade marshals
Honorees ‘live authentically’ and ‘power of sharing your story’
The Capital Pride Alliance has announced that David Archuleta and Monroe Alise will be the grand marshals for the Pride parade on June 20.
Ryan Bos, the Capital Pride Alliance’s president, said the two were chosen for the way that they exemplify the theme “Exist. Resist. Have the Audacity!”
Archuleta is the “American Idol” season 7 runner-up and a strong supporter of the LGBTQ community.
He grew up religious and has been clear about his struggle to reconcile his faith, identity, and self-expression. In 2021, he publicly came out and has since been a major voice for LGBTQ visibility and acceptance. This year, Archuleta published the memoir “Devout,” which details his lived experience as a closeted Mormon teenager.
Alise is a transgender advocate and a D.C. native.
She has appeared in the shows “P-Valley” and “The Chi.” She also grew a major online following through her social media series “I’m CLOCKABLE,” where she discusses topics such as dating, culture, and self-discovery from the perspective of a queer person.
“Together, they represent to live authentically and the power of sharing your story to create change,” Bos said in a statement.
As grand marshals, the two will kick off celebrations leading up to the parade and participate in it. Alise will join the Crack of Noon Parade Brunch from 12-3 p.m. at Viceroy Washington, alongside honorees such as D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
The parade will kick off at 3 p.m. at the intersection of 14th and T Streets, N.W., before moving straight down 14th Street and ending at Pennsylvania Avenue at 7 p.m. The parade is free for anyone to watch at designated viewing areas.
More information about celebrations throughout Pride and the parade can be found at www.capitalpride.org.
District of Columbia
Hundreds of thousands expected to attend D.C. Pride events
Parade to take place on June 20
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend Pride events in D.C. this month.
The Capital Pride Alliance is marking its 51st year with a full slate of events, including a parade, festival, concert, parties, and community events across the city. This year’s theme is “EXIST. RESIST. Have the Audacity!”
“Our audacity is our collective strength. Against the forces that try to diminish us, we must remain bold, courageous, visible and heard, in a world that questions our humanity and challenges our rights. Together, let’s have the audacity to live, thrive, be joyful, and proud!” Capital Pride Alliance said in a statement.
Capital Pride’s signature weekend events will center on the June 20 parade and June 21 festival and concert.
The parade and concert will not take place on the second weekend of June, as they have in the past, to avoid conflicts with America’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The parade route is expected to begin at 14th and T Streets, N.W., and end at Pennsylvania Avenue and 9th Street, N.W. Free viewing areas will be available, though reservations are required for seating at designated locations across the route.
Leading up to the parade, a family event will be hosted from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Stead Park in Dupont Circle. Activities will include crafts, glitter tattoos, hair tinsel, photo ops, and an inflatable obstacle course. The event is free, but a prior reservation is required.
Crack of Noon Parade Brunch, a 21+ event featuring an all-you-can-eat buffet, will also take place earlier on June 20 at the Viceroy Washington at 1430 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.
The 17th Street Block Party, presented by Absolut, will also take place from noon to 10 p.m. on 17th Street in Dupont Circle. It will feature local food, an adult beverage garden, and other events.
On June 21, the Capital Pride Festival will run from noon to 10 p.m. on Pennsylvania Avenue The festival includes the Capital Pride Concert at Capitol Stage. The lineup of artists for the festival concert includes Maren Morris, queer rapper Leikeli47, Lisa Lisa, “Heated Rivalry” DJ Harrison, Tracy Young, and Myki Meeks.
“In a moment when LGBTQ+ people are being challenged across the country, the Capital Pride Concert is a space where our community is fully seen and heard,” said Capital Pride Alliance President Ryan Bos in a news release regarding the concert lineup.
Tickets to the concert are free, with exclusive pit and VIP experiences available for purchase.
The night will end with a “Capitol” Sunset Dance Party from 8-10 p.m., directly following the concert. It is available to all ages.
Other stages for concerts include the Monument and Dupont Dance Stage, with the artist lineup yet to be announced.
Three main parties will be available leading up to and during the parade: Riot!: The Official Pride Opening Party on June 19, featuring Bob the Drag Queen with a DJ set and headliner Myki Meeks. ELIX-Her on June 20 is a women-centered event at Decades and is 21+. On the same night, KINETIC: Toyland will feature headliner Alaska, “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 2” winner.
Before the parade and festival weekend, community events, and celebrations will take place throughout the city.
The Washington Blade will host Pride on the Pier on June 13 from 4-9 p.m. at The Wharf. The free event will feature Pride365 Radio, a drag show with Venetian, DJ Chord, and dancing.
Capital Pride will have Night of Expression on June 10 at 7 p.m. at Busboys and Poets (14th and V streets). The event will feature an open mic and other performances.
Capital Pride Honors
Beyond its public celebrations, the Capital Pride Alliance will also recognize community leaders through its annual Capital Pride Honors program. This year’s honorees were selected based on how their work reflected the 2026 theme of Pride.
The winners were awarded at the Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia, which is part of a fundraiser with Pride365, on Sunday.
Honorees included D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, who received the Paving the Way Award; D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who received the Key to Capital Pride Award; and the Heroes Award recipients Benjamin Coy, Charity Blackwell, Darryl Hamilton, Thea Kano, Kendall Martinez-Wright, and Lee Levingston Perine.
Dylan Drobish and Tyler Hack received the SaVanna Wanzer Visibility Award, while Patrick Magee and Judy Schloss were honored with the Bill Miles Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service.
Darrell Wood and Tyler Cargill received the Breaking Barriers: Community Impact Award, and Dai Nguyen received the Bernie Delia Award.
Maryland
‘Girlfriends’ wanted for murder in Silver Spring, Md.
Montgomery County police say two charged with killing mother of one of them
The Montgomery County, Md., Department of Police announced on June 4 that it is seeking the public’s help in locating two women, who they identify as a couple, who are charged with first-degree murder for allegedly killing the mother of one of them.
In a statement police identified the two women as Vanessa Tjongarero-Henderson of Clarksburg, Md., and her girlfriend Samantha Raebel of Phoenix, Ariz. The statement says the two are charged with the murder of Hilde Henderson, 67, the mother of Vanessa.
According to the statement, officers with the department’s 3rd District found Hilde Henderson deceased on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at her home at the Charter House apartments in the 1300 block of Fenwick Lane in Silver Spring after being called to check on the resident’s welfare.
“Henderson was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where an autopsy was conducted,” the statement says. “The cause of death was ruled a homicide.”
It adds, “Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified Henderson’s daughter, Vanessa Tjongarero-Henderson and Vanessa’s girlfriend, Raeble, as the suspects.” It says detectives obtained an arrest warrant against the two women, charging both with first-degree murder.
“Anyone with information regarding the location of these suspects or this crime is asked to call 911 or to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, Md. website at crimesolversmcmd.org,” the statement says, or to call the tip line at 1-866-411-8477.
“Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward from $250 up to $10,000,” it says, adding that tips may remain anonymous.
A spokesperson for Montgomery County police didn’t immediately respond to a request from the Washington Blade for information not disclosed in the police statement, including the physical-medical cause of death for Hilde Henderson and whether detectives have determined a motive for the murder.
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