WASHINGTON — D.C. police have charged an Upper Marlboro, Maryland, man with felony first-degree murder for the death of a D.C. yoga instructor and actress who was found strangled in her car overnight and had been missing since Christmas Day.
Duane Adrian Johnson, 29, who was in court as recently as last week on unrelated charges, was also charged with theft and simple assault for an incident at a CVS Pharmacy in the 700 block of 4th Street in Northwest D.C.
Investigators discovered the body of Tricia McCauley, 46, in her Toyota Scion after a man recognized her car in the parking lot of a second CVS Pharmacy at the corner of M and 22nd streets NW. The tipster believed he had seen Johnson driving the car, which he recognized from photos posted on social media.
Police quickly arrived and arrested Johnson, who was found nearby, said interim Police Chief Peter Newsham.
An autopsy determined that McCauley died of asphyxia caused by ligature strangulation and of blunt force trauma. Her death was ruled a homicide.
It does not appear that McCauley and Johnson knew each other and investigators are still piecing together a timeline starting from when McCauley went missing to Johnson’s arrest just after midnight, Newsham said.
Court documents show Johnson had a mental health screening this month and a judge released him from detention on Dec. 20 on separate misdemeanor theft charges.
As part of his release, Johnson was required to be fitted with a GPS tracker the next day. Police did not confirm if he was wearing it when he was arrested.
Police had been looking for Johnson for his role in assaulting workers at the 4th Street CVS before they learned of his involvement in McCauley’s disappearance, Newsham said.
The last known contact with McCauley was around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Newsham said. McCauley was expected at a large Christmas dinner that night, but host Bill Largess said Tuesday she hadn’t arrived when they were ready to start. People texted and called, but got no response. McCauley had come to the dinner for the last 15 years, but they weren’t too worried since she had slept through it once a few years ago. But the next morning they heard that she missed a flight to visit family on the West Coast.
“That’s when we knew something was definitely wrong,” Largess, the Washington Stage Guild’s artistic director, told The Associated Press.
Police released a list of times and locations where they believe Johnson had been on Sunday and Monday and asked the public to provide any information about his whereabouts.
“Everything that you can provide us in fleshing out this story would be helpful,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said.
Police believe the suspect had been at the following locations at certain times on Dec. 26:
12:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. — In the 3400 block of Georgia Avenue Northwest
8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. — In the 400 block of Massachusetts Avenue Northwest
9:15 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. — Police said the suspect was involved in a theft at a CVS on the 700 block of 4th Street Northwest. He assaulted employees, police said.
11 a.m. to 11:50 p.m. — In the 2300 block of Washington Place Northeast
1:15 p.m. to 1:35 p.m. — In the 400 block of Rhode Island Avenue Northeast
2 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. — In the 2800 block of 7th Street Northeast
Officials asked anyone with information to call 202-727-9099.
WTOP’s Hanna Choi, Abigail Constantino and Amanda Iacone contributed to this report.
