Bethesda Tunnel Case: Court Upholds Manslaughter Decision

BETHESDA, MD — The Maryland Court of Appeals upheld a decision that Daniel Beckwitt, a Bethesda homeowner arrested and charged in the death of a worker digging underground tunnels in his home, is guilty of manslaughter but not "depraved-heart" second-degree murder.

Beckwitt, now 30, was paying Askia Khafra, 21, to dig a network of tunnels under his home in Bethesda because he was afraid of bombing from North Korea, news outlets reported at the time. Khafra died during a house fire while he was working in the basement and Beckwitt was charged in connection with his death.

Beckwitt was convicted in 2019 of manslaughter and "depraved-heart" second-degree murder. Attorneys for Beckwitt appealed the decision and the murder charge was overturned in January 2021, WTOP reported. They then filed an appeal of the manslaughter charge while the state filed a cross-appeal in response, according to reporting from Bethesda Beat.

The Court of Appeals found Friday that Beckwitt was reckless and did not provide a safe work environment, but his actions did not rise to the level of murder.

"Petitioner’s conduct—including having victim dig tunnels beneath home, while living and working in basement with electrical power provided by multiple extension cords and power strips and that was filled with trash and debris," the court wrote, "which severely hampered victim’s escape in event of emergency—whether considered individually or cumulatively, although demonstrating reckless disregard for human life did not rise to level of conduct that was reasonably likely, if not certain, to cause death."

Beckwitt will be resentenced, Bethesda Beat said.