It was a hot August night in 2006. Robert Wone, a 32-year-old lawyer with a bright future and a kind smile, headed to a townhouse at 1509 Swann Street in Northwest D.C. He wasn’t there for a party. He just needed a place to crash after working late at Radio Free Asia, rather than trekking all the way back to Oakton, Virginia, where he lived with his wife, Kathy. He was friends with the guys who lived there. He trusted them.
By 11:49 p.m., Robert Wone was dead.
The scene that greeted first responders was beyond bizarre. It was surreal. Wone had been stabbed three times in the chest with surgical precision. He was lying on a pull-out sofa, seemingly showered and dressed in gym clothes that weren't his own. There was almost no blood. Not on the bed, not on the floor, not even on his clothes, despite the fact that his heart had been punctured. It looked like a staged play.
When people ask who killed Robert Wone, they aren't just asking for a name. They are asking how a man can be murdered in a house occupied by three other people, yet leave behind a crime scene that feels scrubbed of the truth.
The Three Men in the House
To understand the mystery of who killed Robert Wone, you have to look at the three men who were inside 1509 Swann Street that night: Joseph Price, Victor Zaborsky, and Dylan Ward. They were in a committed polyamorous relationship. Price was a high-powered attorney, much like Wone. They had been friends since college.
Their story was simple: an intruder broke in, stabbed Robert, and fled.
But the evidence—or the lack of it—told a different story. The house was equipped with a sophisticated alarm system. It hadn't been triggered. There were no signs of forced entry. A neighbor, who happened to be outside, didn't see anyone fleeing through the back alley. Most damningly, the paramedics who arrived on the scene, like Jeff Baker, felt something was "off" immediately. They described the three roommates as being strangely calm, freshly showered, and wearing bathrobes.
The physics of the crime didn't work. If an intruder stabs someone three times in the chest, blood goes everywhere. It’s messy. It’s violent. In this room? It was as if the body had been cleaned and redressed after the life had already left it.
The Needle Marks and the Paralytic Theory
One of the most chilling details uncovered during the autopsy was the presence of several small needle marks on Robert’s body. There were dots on his neck, his chest, and his arms. This led investigators to a terrifying hypothesis: was Robert Wone incapacitated before he was killed?
The toxicology reports didn't show any common street drugs. However, the theory persisted that he might have been injected with a paralytic agent or a fast-acting sedative that vanished from the system quickly. This would explain the lack of defensive wounds. Robert was a fit guy. He would have fought back. Yet, there were no bruises on his knuckles, no skin under his fingernails, and no signs of a struggle in the guest room.
He just lay there.
The prosecution eventually argued that Wone had been sexually assaulted and then murdered. They found "semen-like" fluid, but DNA testing at the time was inconclusive or complicated by the presence of the residents' DNA in their own home. It knda makes you wonder if the crime wasn't just a murder, but a botched encounter or something much darker that the trio felt they had to cover up at all costs.
The Trial That Solved Nothing
In 2010, Price, Zaborsky, and Ward went to trial. But here is the kicker: they weren't charged with murder.
💡 You might also like: Door County Wisconsin Election Results: Why The Peninsula Flipped (Again)
Because the police couldn't prove which specific person held the knife, the government charged them with conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and tampering with evidence. The trial was a media circus. The defense, led by heavy hitters like Bernie Grimm, hammered away at the lack of a clear motive. Why would these successful men risk everything to kill a friend?
Judge Lynn Leibovitz eventually handed down a verdict that still stings for Wone’s family. She stated that while she believed the men knew who killed Robert Wone and had actively obstructed the investigation, the prosecution hadn't proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
"It is very probable that the government's theory is correct," she said. But "very probable" isn't enough to put someone in prison for life. They walked free.
The Ghost of 1509 Swann Street
Honestly, the Swann Street house has become a symbol of a legal system failing a victim. After the criminal trial, Kathy Wone filed a $20 million wrongful death lawsuit. That is where things got interesting. In a civil case, the burden of proof is lower. You don't need "beyond a reasonable doubt"; you just need a "preponderance of evidence."
The civil suit was eventually settled in 2011 for an undisclosed amount. The three men moved away, eventually settling in Florida. They have maintained their innocence for nearly two decades.
But the questions don't go away.
- The Knife: A knife was found on the bedside table, wiped clean of everything but a tiny smudge of Wone’s blood. It didn't match the wounds perfectly.
- The Intrusions: There was a "bloody" towel found, but the blood on it didn't seem to match the volume that should have been there.
- The Timeline: The "scream" heard by Victor Zaborsky was reported at a time that didn't quite line up with the physiological state of the body when paramedics arrived.
Basically, the timeline was a mess. It felt like a script that hadn't been fully rehearsed.
Why This Case Refuses to Die
People are still obsessed with this case because it feels solvable. It wasn't a random mugging in an alley. It happened in a locked house. We know exactly who was in the building. Yet, the "who" remains a legal void.
The "Who Killed Robert Wone" podcast and various true crime documentaries have kept the flame alive. They highlight the oddities, like the fact that Dylan Ward had a collection of BDSM equipment in his room, which the prosecution tried to use to paint a picture of a deviant lifestyle. Whether or not that had anything to do with the murder is debatable, but it added to the sensationalism of the "Swann Street Trio."
The reality is likely much more mundane and much more tragic. A friendship, a misunderstanding, a freak accident, or a sudden burst of violence—followed by a cold, calculated decision by three lawyers to protect their own lives over the life of their guest.
Moving Forward: Lessons from the Wone Case
While we may never see a murder conviction in this case unless someone decides to talk, the Robert Wone tragedy changed how many people view forensic evidence and the "blue wall" of silence that can exist even among civilians.
If you are following this case or others like it, here are the actionable takeaways to keep in mind regarding cold cases and legal justice:
- Preservation of Electronic Evidence: In 2006, we didn't have the "digital exhaust" we have now. Today, smart home devices, Apple Watch heart rate monitors, and GPS pings would have likely solved this case in hours. If you are ever involved in a legal situation, digital footprints are the most "honest" witnesses.
- The Power of Civil Litigation: When the criminal justice system fails, the civil system is often the only way to get some semblance of discovery. Kathy Wone used the civil suit to force depositions that the criminal trial couldn't.
- Support for the Wone Memorial: Robert was a man of immense character. His family and friends established scholarships in his name, such as the Robert Wone Memorial Trust. Supporting these initiatives ensures his legacy is about his life, not just his grisly death.
- Advocacy for Forensic Improvements: The "missing blood" mystery in the Wone case highlights the need for advanced Luminol and protein-detection technologies at crime scenes. Staying informed about forensic science helps us understand why some cases go cold and how others are finally heated back up.
The mystery of who killed Robert Wone is a reminder that the truth doesn't always come out in a courtroom. Sometimes, it stays locked behind the doors of a townhouse, known only to those who were there.