Roommate Links Suspect John Wagner To JHU Researcher's Death

BALTIMORE -- A woman's detailed testimony linked her roommate to the death of a Johns Hopkins University researcher last year, but the defense discredited the testimony, citing the woman's drug history.

Stephen Pitcai was talking on his cell phone with his mother on the night of July 25, 2010, as he walked home from Penn Station. He had retued to Baltimore from visiting his sister in New York. When he reached the 2600 block of St. Paul Street, the 23-year-old man from Jupiter, Fla., was robbed and fatally stabbed.

Tyreen Williams recounted the evening during testimony Wednesday, the second day of a trial against John Wagner, who is charged with murder. Williams and others lived with Wagner in an apartment at 2607 Maryland Ave.

The defense tried to discredit Williams' testimony, painting her has a self-admitted drug addict. Williams said she and others living at the apartment were addicted to drugs and they needed money because they were "fiending," or craving drugs.

Williams testified that Wagner came home with a wallet and a cellphone. Williams testified that Wagner asked her and the others if they could use a credit card from the wallet at a gas station in an effort to get cash from customers in exchange for gas.

Williams said Wagner told them that he couldn't do it because it "hurt him real bad" -- referring to Pitcai -- saying police were looking for him.

Pitcai's mother, Gwen, testified Tuesday, describing how she was on the phone with her son at the time of his death, saying, "All of a sudden I heard him gasp. There was a lot of noise and commotion." She said she heard her son say, "Hey, hey, I don't have any money. Here's my wallet."

Williams said she looked at the wallet and saw a Florida identification card inside that said "Stephen Pitcai" but that she had no idea he had been killed. Williams said her boyfriend used the credit card to get cash to buy crack cocaine.

A Baltimore City crime technician also testified Wednesday, discussing some of the items seized as evidence, which included a hat, a basketball jersey, black shorts and a folding knife -- all of which the technician said were found inside a pair of shoes and had suspected blood stains.

Police had also seized an iPhone and wallet believed to belong to Pitcai. The technician said the front door of the apartment was also swabbed for suspected blood stains.

Police had also arrested Levelva Merritt, who is cooperating with authorities. Prosecutors said they dropped murder charges against Merritt after she admitted to her role in exchange for her testimony against Wagner.

It was not known when Merritt would take the stand. The trial continues Thursday.