A District man pleaded guilty to a violent killing in which the victim was bound, tortured and stabbed in order to obtain the combination to a small personal safe. Ronnell James pleaded to second-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances in the 2007 death of 56-year-old Robert Beidleman Jr. The 39-year-old James faces up to life in prison without possibility of release.
On the early morning of April, 8, 2007, Beidleman was found dead in his Northeast Washington apartment bedroom with a large butcher knife plunged into his chest, police said. His head and face were wrapped in clear plastic wrap, and duct tape covered his mouth.
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His hands were partially bound with clear plastic wrap, duct tape and string. His legs were bound just above the ankle.
Four bloody knives were found near the body. The wall was covered in blood splatter, and a large pool of blood was on the bed.
James subsequently admitted to police that he had attempted to burglarize Beidleman’s apartment on the day of the murder.
Money and jewelry from Beidleman’s apartment were found by police at his home and the home of his mother.
When initially questioned by homicide detectives, James said had he bought marijuana from Beidleman, left and smoked a joint. He then followed a friend back to Beidleman’s apartment.
The friend went in first, and when James entered, Beidleman was already restrained and gagged, James told police.
“What have you gotten me into?” James said he asked his friend.
Beidleman began making noise through the gag, James said, so he tied the man up with duct tape because he feared they’d get into trouble.
James told police he became scared and left, eventually going to his mother’s apartment.
He said his friend gave him $300, and they went shopping in Georgetown.
According to his arrest report, a witness told police that James talked about the killing of Beidleman, describing how he beat the victim with a handgun, then coerced him into revealing the combination to the safe, before cutting Beidleman’s throat.
The descriptions of the jewelry matched that was found in James’ and his mother’s homes.
No one else has been arrested in the case, prosecutors said.
