LOCAL MAN SENTENCED TO 38 YEARS IN PRISON FOR THE BRUTAL STABBING DEATH OF RELATIVE

Washington, D.C. - A 39-year-old District of Columbia man, Christopher Nickens, was sentenced today by the Honorable Lee F. Satterfield to 38 years in prison based upon his conviction of Second-Degree Murder while Armed in connection with the August 30, 2003 killing of his relative, Webster Frederick, announced U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor. A Superior Court of the District of Columbia jury found Nickens guilty of the charge on Friday, March 2, 2007.

According to the government's evidence, on August 30, 2003, Nickens was working for Frederick in a nursing home at 5813 4th Street, NW. At approximately 2:00 p.m., Nickens was alone in the basement with Frederick and for some unknown reason stabbed him approximately 68 times before fleeing the premises. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department responded to the address and collected the evidence, including a number of blood swabs. The blood swabs were subsequently analyzed by both the FBI and Orchid Cellmark. Their analysis established that two of the swabs contained the DNA from both Nickens and Frederick. Several other swabs leading from Frederick's body and up the steps to the kitchen contained the DNA of Nickens.

Detectives subsequently met with Nickens four days later and noticed several cut marks to his right hand. These injuries were consistent with stabbing someone multiple times, with your hand sliding down the knife blade. During this time, Nickens became ill from his failure to take his insulin for his diabetic condition. The detectives subsequently took him back to the 4th Street address to retrieve his insulin, which he left in the refrigerator as he made a quick exit after the murder.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Taylor commended Metropolitan Police Department ("MPD") Detectives Dwayne Partman and Randy Brooks. He also commended the following MPD police officers: Tony Nwani, Matthew Morris, Henry Gallagher, Carmen Pagan and Kemper Agee. Mr. Taylor also recognized the efforts of DNA analyst Catherine Leisy, formerly of Cellmark, and Carolyn Zervous of the FBI for their efforts in linking the defendant and the decedent. He also applauded the efforts of Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, Victim Witness Coordinator David Foster, Litigation Support Specialists Thomas Royal and Kimberly Smith, Paralegal Marian Russell, and Legal Assistant Gwenever Quigley for a strong team effort. Also, Mr. Taylor thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Flynn, who investigated part of the case, and Charles W. Cobb, who prosecuted the case.

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