Victim in Suspicious Death Identified as Elmer Roehrs

The victim in Wednesday night’s suspicious death in the 2700 block of Holly Street in Del Ray has been identified as 94-year-old Elmer Roehrs.

Alexandria police detectives had been investigating a November 2012 burglary that occurred at the home where the victim was found.

The suspect in that burglary was located and arrested early Thursday morning by Alexandria police.

Marie Maybell Johnson, 45, of no fixed address was arrested around 3:15 a.m. Thursday following a traffic stop in the 1400 block of Duke Street in Old Town. She was interviewed by police detectives and transported to the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center.

Johnson was charged with burglary and grand larceny for the Nov. 27, 2012 incident. She has not been charged in relation to the incident from Wednesday night. She is being held without bond.

The brick Colonial home has a history of break-ins. David Bouk, a resident of the house and believed to be the Roehrs’ stepson, reported two burglaries at the home in 2011. He even addressed City Council about the “persistent” issue that March, mentioning one of the burglaries occurred while he took his “mother’s husband” to the hospital.

Bouk said in those burglaries, jewelry and cash was taken from the house. A vehicle near the home was also burglarized that winter.

An investigation into the suspicious death is ongoing.

According to a myfoxdc.com report, Roehrs was killed during an apparent burglary or robbery. Police said the man suffered trauma to his upper body.

The cause and manner of death will be determined pending an autopsy by the medical examiner’s office. 

Patch will provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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