GUILTY VA - Lenny Harris, 53, robbed & murdered, Alexandria, 21 Sept 2011

[cleo612]

An arrest! Robbery, and someone he knew :sigh:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Arrest-Made-in-Well-Death-138426679.html

The article states that "more arrests are forthcoming."

Interesting.

 

[belimom]

An arrest! Robbery, and someone he knew :sigh:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Arrest-Made-in-Well-Death-138426679.html

Oh wow. Just wow. A robbery. Someone's life for... a robbery. I wonder if there is more to it, especially with the 'more arrests are forthcoming'.

And the suspect's name is Linwood also. Lenwood and Linwood. :no:

 

[belimom]

From http://www.gazette.net/article/2012...dy-found-in-fort-washington&template=gazette:

Linwood Johnson, 49, of South View Drive is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Lenwood Harris, 53, after allegedly confessing to detectives early Tuesday morning after his arrest, said Henry Tippett, a county police spokesman.
......
Johnson told police the motive for the incident was robbery, said Tippett, who noted that during Johnson’s arrest, detectives discovered the firearm used in the incident.

This next part has me wondering about journalism:

A phone number for Harris’ residence could not be located.

WTH would you try to contact the family so soon? Let them grieve, give them their privacy...

 

[Cubby]

I'm so glad an arrest has been made so quickly. Excellent job LE!

Snippets from another article:

He said Harris was shot at the long-vacant, secluded property where his body was found in a well Thursday, but he offered nothing in the way of a timeline of events from Sept. 21, when Harris went missing.

He said that Johnson provided a “full written and verbal confession” to his involvement in the slaying and that detectives had recovered the gun they believe was used to shoot Harris.

Full article at link:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...arriss-death/2012/01/31/gIQAZlKMgQ_story.html

Now lets hope ALL involved plead guilty and take responsibility for their actions.

 

[chasing.halos]

I read about all this last night and couldn't post because I was so upset about it. I just knew that this was over something stupid (what, a few bucks???) and he would know his attacker.

Knowing that he was shot at the vacant property really disturbs me :cry: I imagine them driving him out there.... can you imagine the thoughts and sheer terror Lenny must have felt being taken out to an abandoned property???

Just makes me so sick. What a horrible waste. Here we have a man who makes it his mission in life to help others only to have it be taken by those he tries to help? Sickening.

I'm mad right now so I am not feeling all that positive even though I know it is good news that the murderer has been caught.

 

[Cubby]

I feel the same chasing.halos. There is no joy in an arrest for a crime that should have never happened.

I too knew all along it was almost certainly someone he knew.

I keep thinking back to that phone call Lenny took before he left to meet someone without saying who.
I want to believe that person who called Lenny did not knowingly participate in this crime by setting Lenny up under the pretense someone needed Lenny's help. I will be devistated if it comes out that the person who called Lenny that night just before he left to meet a friend is knowingly involved. Yet, I am afraid when the facts come out, we'll learn that is exactly what happened. And all for what? A few bucks?

This is such a tremendous loss. This loss extends far beyond Lenny's family. It extends to the community, to the fellow businessmen he tried to help, and especially to those underpriviledged children he mentored and tried to help.

No joy, just glad the people responsible will be off the streets. I pray they all get life and are never allowed outside of the prison walls to inflict such harm ever again.

 

[belimom]

I think it runs deeper. I don't believe someone would go through all the trouble they went through for a simple robbery.

By the way, here's the booking photo of Linwood Johnson:

http://images.wjla.com/crime/linwood_johnson_296.jpeg

 

[Shin Masamura]

Now the question is who was the guy at the atm and in the minivan using Lenny's debit card?

 

[Cubby]

Yes. Who was the person using the debit/credit card at the ATM? That person does not look at all like Linwood Johnson.

I wonder if LJ will try and make a deal for himself by testifying against all others involved. Or, I wonder if it was LJ who called Lenny and set this whole heinous act into motion.

Why? :cry:

 

[belimom]

Now the question is who was the guy at the atm and in the minivan using Lenny's debit card?
(snip)

Not the same guy in my opinion. The guy in the ATM photo has a more square chin. :twocents:

 

[belimom]

I think this article has been linked before, but I wanted to highlight this part:

Assistant Police Chief Kevin Davis said that Johnson and Harris “were known to each other” and that Johnson did not act alone. Detectives think that Harris’s attackers set out to rob him, Davis said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...arriss-death/2012/01/31/gIQAZlKMgQ_story.html

 

[Gardenlady]

The thought that these might have been guys that Lenny may have been trying to help or mentor (he did do prison outreach, so I'm sure he's been acquainted with thieves through that work) infuriates me. They may have known he had cash on him, or just knew he would be an easy target because he would want to help, if someone called and said they needed him??

I think though, based on what kind of man we now him to have been, that he probably knew and accepted the risks of his work, and I hope that with that knowledge came some sort of peace for him, at the end. I have such admiration for people like Lenny, who will give and give, and knowingly put themselves in risky situations or among questionable people, in order to help.

And it's so senseless, he probably would've given them all the cash they needed or wanted. Maybe it WAS for something more than robbery?! :cry: :banghead:

 

[belimom]

Armed with new information, Prince George’s County police homicide commanders ordered a massive search of an area next to the Beltway at the foot of the Wilson Bridge.

For hours Wednesday morning and early afternoon, recruits and crime scene investigators looked for evidence connected with the murder of Alexandria activist Lenny Harris.

http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/02/lenny-harris-police-looking-for-more-evidence-72128.html

This is so close to home for me. I pass over that bridge almost daily and not one time have I gone over WW bridge recently and not thought of Lenny. Makes me wonder what they're looking for there.

In the video at the link there is more info not stated in the article:

- LE does not believe Linwood Johnson is the trigger man
- LE is still looking for the two men caught on video trying to use Lenny's ATM card

 

[belimom]

Lenny's FB page:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=674400207

ETA:


Linwood Johnson, Suspect In Lenwood 'Lenny' Harris Murder Case, Held Without Bond
http://www.wusa9.com/news/article/188244/158/Lenny-Harris-Murder-Suspect-Ordered-Held-Without-Bond

 

[Cubby]

The thought that these might have been guys that Lenny may have been trying to help or mentor (he did do prison outreach, so I'm sure he's been acquainted with thieves through that work) infuriates me. They may have known he had cash on him, or just knew he would be an easy target because he would want to help, if someone called and said they needed him??

I think though, based on what kind of man we now him to have been, that he probably knew and accepted the risks of his work, and I hope that with that knowledge came some sort of peace for him, at the end. I have such admiration for people like Lenny, who will give and give, and knowingly put themselves in risky situations or among questionable people, in order to help.

And it's so senseless, he probably would've given them all the cash they needed or wanted. Maybe it WAS for something more than robbery?! :cry: :banghead:

We're on the same page. I hate that someone did this to someone who was not ready to stop giving of himself. I just can't stand it.

I can only hope many people are inspired by Lenny's work and continue that work in his honor and memory.

 

[belimom]

There's a video but I can't get it to play - maybe one of you will have better luck:

Wife of Alexandria Activist Lenny Harris Talks To FOX 5

Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/loc...ny-harris-talks-to-fox-5-020112#ixzz1lCDcYCMM

Here's another article that says LE is looking for 3 or 4 more people. So sad. I can only imagine how terrified Lenny was...

bbm

Within hours of upgrading the Lenny Harris missing person case to a homicide investigation, the Prince George’s County Police Department announced the arrest of one man and say they’re still looking for three or four more individuals.

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=357380&paper=59&cat=104

And now we know what they found today near the bridge:

Along with the confession, police have garnered more details about the crime, and officials with knowledge of the case said a second cellphone they believe belonged to Mr. Harris was retrieved from along Interstate 295. Another cellphone belonging to Mr. Harris was found shortly after he went missing on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/feb/1/pg-police-pursuing-additional-suspects-in-death-of/

 

[belimom]

I got the video above to work. Very sad to watch both his wife and daughter speak about him. Here are some things mentioned in the video:

- Linwood Johnson supposedly *is* one of the folks that Lenny had helped
- his wife mentions the same thing that puzzles me: if a simple robbery, why not shoot him and leave him there? Hiding him in a well so no one can find him means the murder was probably planned out and not just a 'robbery gone bad'

 

[Cubby]

I got the video above to work. Very sad to watch both his wife and daughter speak about him. Here are some things mentioned in the video:

- Linwood Johnson supposedly *is* one of the folks that Lenny had helped
- his wife mentions the same thing that puzzles me: if a simple robbery, why not shoot him and leave him there? Hiding him in a well so no one can find him means the murder was probably planned out and not just a 'robbery gone bad'

BBM. Just a guess, but since the perps knew they could be connected with Lenny, they might have hid him with the hopes everyone would believe he was voluntarily missing. If the perps would strangers, they wouldn't care if the victim was found because there would be no way to connect them to a stranger.

I'd bet Lenny met Linwood while he was in prison, and that perhaps Linwood reached out to Lenny after being released. It may be that Linwood planned to rob him with a few of his buddies as accomplices and never intended for Lenny to be killed.

Problem with that, is in other cases where person A set up the robbery, even if person B, C, or D was the actual hand that caused the murder, person A can still be charged with 1st degree murder or capital murder. This is because person A is the one who set the events into motion which caused the murder. Doesn't matter if person A knew the victim would be murdered or not. Even if person A told persons B, C and D not to harm the victim, if they do, person A is still fully accountable. That might be why Linwood fully confessed. He may have even been the anonymous tipster.

 

[Gardenlady]

Second arrest!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...arris-killing/2012/02/02/gIQALku4kQ_blog.html

 

[Gardenlady]

I put his name in here, and found his record... Not many cases there: an assault, a fourth degree sexual assault (post article mentions this), and a theft under $100 from this month.

http://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/inquiry/inquiry-index.jsp