Homeless man who stabbed a newly-engaged jogger, 23, to death after stealing a kitchen knife from a grocery store in upscale Washington DC neighborhood pleads guilty to first-degree murder
- DC police charged Crawford, 23, in the 2018 stabbing death of Wendy Martinez
- Crawford was accused of stealing a kitchen knife and stabbing the bride-to-be
- The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to first-degree murder at a trial in Washington DC
- The plea agreement calls for a sentence of 30 years and a fine up to $250,000
- Martinez was out for an evening run when she was attacked by the knife-wielding stranger. She ran into a nearby Chinese restaurant bleeding heavily
- While some ran away from the horrific scene, other patrons rushed to her side. Tragically, she was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead
Anthony Crawford pleaded guilty to a first-degree murder charge in connection with the September 2018 death of 35-year-old Wendy Karina Martinez
A homeless man accused of killing a bride-to-be as she jogged two blocks from her home in Washington DC pleaded guilty to murder on Friday.
Anthony Crawford pleaded guilty to a first-degree murder charge in connection with the September 2018 death of 35-year-old Wendy Karina Martinez.
Martinez, 35, was killed while running through a typically safe neighborhood last year. Crawford was arrested for her murder the following day.
Prosecutors said the 23-year-old stole a kitchen knife from a grocery store and then attacked Martinez while she was running in the Logan Circle neighborhood.
The plea agreement calls for a sentence of 30 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
As part of the plea deal, Crawford will also have to contribute between $100 and $5,000 to the Victims of Violent Crime Compensation Fund.
On the day of the attack, Martinez was out for an evening run when she was attacked by the knife-wielding male stranger at the intersection of 11th and P streets.
Victim: Martinez, 35, was killed while running through a typically safe Washington DC neighborhood last year, Crawford was arrested for her murder the following day
They did: Cora Martinez, the victim's mother, said that her daughter's death came after the happiest days of her life (Martinez being proposed to a week prior to her death)
The mortally wounded Martinez ran into a nearby Chinese restaurant for help and video, obtained by Fox News, showed her run in as blood gushed from a laceration to her neck.
While some ran away from the horrific scene, other patrons rushed to her side. Tragically, she was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The Georgetown graduate had just become engaged just last week, according to her heartbroken family, with a storybook proposal and a emerald ring.
Bereaved: Martinez's fiancee spoke for the first time as well on Thursday about his bride-to-be
A photo from the happy occasion shows fiance Hincapie in a blue suit, down on one knee, with a ring box open as she stood beaming.
Family said she was excited to be planning her wedding to the DC bank executive.
Her mother said she was proud of her Martinez for the way she handled herself in the final moments of her life.
'My daughter was a fighter,' she said. 'She was a warrior. She fought up to the last seconds for her life.
While some ran away from the horrific scene, other patrons rushed to her side. Tragically, she was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead
The 35-year-old was killed a couple of blocks away from her home
'She got up and she ran into this restaurant and asked for help. That makes us so proud.'
Martinez lived not far from the crime scene and was an avid jogger known to run for miles.
A spokesperson for the Martinez family said on Friday: 'It's a difficult emotion to describe, its a heavy dose of sadness because it does nothing to bring Wendy back or make us whole.
'At the same time, it does provide some peace knowing he'll be off the streets, and we're grateful for that.'
