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A neighbor who claims to have heard a “desperation scream” on the night of attorney Robert Wone‘s 2006 murder places the time of the shriek between 11 and 11:30 p.m.
How does he know for sure? Simple. He also heard the voice of WJLA-TV newscaster Maureen Bunyan in the background.
“I know her voice after all these years,” testified William Thomas, who lives at 1507 Swann Street NW, next door to the house where the victim Wone was found dead one August night nearly four years ago. Thomas says he’s been watching Bunyan since back when she was on Channel 9.
Thomas’ wife, Claudia Thomas, testified that she was downstairs watching television at the time. A defense attorney asked whether she might be mistaken, say, watching Nightline instead, which starts a half hour later. Ms. Thomas was adamant. “I like Maureen Bunyan,” she says, “and that’s who I watched.”
The timing is important to prosecutors’ attempt to prove that defendants Joe Price, Dylan Ward, and Victor Zaborsky, conspired to cover up Wone’s killing. Each man is charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice and tampering with evidence.
Williams’ claim to have heard only one scream would also seem to contradict suspect Price’s account of hearing several grunts.
Defense attorneys have argued that the witnesses’ memories are not fresh, given that several years have passed since the incident took place.