Revisiting the Wone murder mystery
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The Swann Street house where lawyer Robert Wone was killed. Photo: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post
Peacock recently debuted “Who Killed Robert Wone?” a documentary about the unsolved murder of a young D.C. lawyer in 2006 that captivated people inside the Beltway and out.
🍿What's happening: The documentary doesn’t crack the "real-life parlor mystery," as the Washington Post once called it. But it's totally worth a watch for true-crime fans or locals who were obsessed with the case.
Catch up quick:
- The 32-year-old lawyer made plans to stay overnight at the home of his friends Joseph Price, Victor Zaborsky, and Dylan Ward near Dupont Circle instead of driving to Oakton, where he lived with his wife.
- Around midnight, one of the men called 911 saying an intruder stabbed Wone. Police arrived and found him looking as if he'd been "showered, redressed, and placed" in bed.
- Wone's friends were charged with obstruction of justice and acquitted in 2010. They later settled a wrongful death suit with Wone’s wife.
- No one has been charged with Wone's murder.
📺 Zoom in: The two-episode series examines the prosecution’s many theories, including that Wone was sexually assaulted and/or drugged; that someone cleaned his body before 911 was contacted; and that there wasn’t nearly enough blood at the scene for a stabbing.
- It also digs into homophobia during the investigation. Price, Zaborsky, and Ward are gay and were in romantic relationships with one other. During the initial investigation, D.C. authorities questioned why Wone would spend the night with three gay friends.
- Viewers get an updated look at the infamous Swann St. house where Wone was killed. Parts of the crime scene were recreated inside.
Longtime residents will recognize some of the names and faces who help anchor the documentary, including journalist Harry Jaffe and Craig Brownstein, who started a blog about the murder.
What’s next: Director Jared P. Scott told Washingtonian that he hopes the series will “be the catalyst for some new information to come to light.”
For more on Wone’s case, check out the Casefile podcast’s episode.