31-Year-Old Man Found Guilty of Fatally Stabbing Roommate in 2020

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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Yolanda Tanner found 31-year-old Epenetus Henriques guilty of fatally stabbing his roommate nearly three years ago after a bench trial, calling the defendant’s claim of self-defense “unreasonable” during her verdict on Jan. 3.

Henriques was charged with first-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon with the intent to injure in connection to the death of Isaiah Drummond in January 2020. The defendant, who lived with Drummond on the 2500 block of Cecil Avenue, claimed the victim was trying to poison him, which resulted in the act of self-defense.

The defendant was previously found competent to stand trial in March 2022 and withdrew his plea of not criminally responsible prior to trial.

After his family filed a missing person report, the police located the victim’s body discarded and abandoned at Patapsco River. It was later learned that the victim was stabbed seven times and had five cuts leaving him with 12 wounds along his neck area, said the prosecutor during closing arguments.

Following the discovery of the victim’s body, police found the victim’s phone with suspected blood inside the defendant’s backpack. After he himself was shot two days later, the prosecutor said.

Unable to get rid of the sneakers, knife, and t-shirt with the victim’s blood on it, the physical evidence points to the defendant stabbing and cutting the victim. The defendant’s DNA was also found on the shirt he wore when killing the victim.

“Based on the defendant’s statement, he put the victim in the trunk of the car wrapped in a rug or trash bag,” said the prosecutor. The same car that the defendant was driving two days after the victim’s death and the same vehicle Henriques said he drove to Patapsco River.

In a rebuttal, Henriques’ defense counsel Brandon Mead asked the court to ignore the defendant’s statement to the police but instead watch his mannerisms. He continued mentioning, as indicated by the DNA analysis, anyone could have been wearing the t-shirt found at the defendant’s home.

He argued that someone else could have had or worn the shirt. Mead claimed there was no DNA found on the knife that pointed to the defendant being the killer and no testimony that the backpack belonged to the defendant.

As far as the suspected blood, there was no testing done to show that the blood found was human or animal, Mead said. He also said there was no indication of blood anywhere else in the defendant’s home besides where the victim bled from his neck.

Lastly, Mead argued that there is no evidence of premeditation nor any evidence that shows the defendant was present at the scene.

Before a full gallery on Tuesday, Judge Tanner said she did not believe Drummond was trying to poison Henriques based on witness testimony from the medical examiner, Drummond’s sister, as well as Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers and detectives. Instead, the 15 stab wounds to the victim’s neck and the defendant’s knowledge of the location of Drummond’s body, among other pieces of evidence, suggested a killing that was “willful and deliberate.”

“The gravity of what happened got to Mr. Henriques,” Judge Tanner added, explaining how the defendant no longer stayed at the Cecil Avenue residence after the murder.

“Evidence suggests Mr. Henriques stabbed Mr. Drummond in the neck and cut him,” the judge said.

Judge Tanner found Henriques guilty of both counts and scheduled a sentencing date of June 13.