Man Accused of Fatally Stabbing Roommate Begins Bench Trial

Thank you for reading Baltimore Witness. Help us continue our mission into 2024.

Isaiah Drummond always greeted his family in the morning with a text message that read, “Good rising.” When they didn’t receive that text message one morning, his family members grew concerned.

On Dec. 19, an assistant state’s attorney gave her opening statement in the bench trial of 31-year-old Epenetus Henriques before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Yolanda Tanner. Standing before the judge, defendant, and his counsel, Brandon Mead, the prosecutor explained how Drummond’s family did their fair share of investigating into what they believe was a missing person case but ended as a homicide.

Drummond and Henriques were roommates living on the 2500 block of Cecil Avenue. According to the prosecution, days after her brother’s disappearance, the victim’s sister was looking through their house when she found a bloody knife in the basement where her brother slept. A bloody shoe and T-shirt were also recovered in addition to Drummond’s wallet, which was empty except for a picture of his son.

The prosecutor said that during his initial interview with the Baltimore Police Department, Henriques denied killing Drummond but eventually confessed, alleging that he believed Drummond was trying to poison and kill him. This allegedly led the defendant to stab Drummond multiple times in the neck on Jan. 23, 2020.

Henriques later took police to Drummond’s body near a river by the 100 block of Redbird Avenue.

During his opening statement, Mead said that other individuals told Henriques where the body was buried but acknowledged that the victim’s cell phone was found in his client’s backpack.

Testimony began late Monday morning and is expected to continue on Dec. 20.