Bethesda Teenager Pleads Guilty To Murder In Stairwell

BETHESDA, MD — A Bethesda teenager pleaded guilty to first degree murder on Friday in the stabbing death of Lawrence Wilson Jr. in a stairwell at the Shops of Wisconsin Avenue retail area in December 2021.

Joshua Wright, 17, faces a maximum of 40 years in prison and is scheduled for a sentencing hearing on Oct. 12, according to the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office.

After the December killing, detectives from the Montgomery County Police Department arrested three teenagers on first degree murder charges, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, following the death of Wilson, 33, in a stairwell at 6831 Wisconsin Ave. in Bethesda.

Along with Wright, 16-year-old Antonio Lawrence and 18-year-old Blaise Uchemadu, also from Bethesda, were accused of killing Wilson on Dec. 19, 2021.

In February, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office dropped charges against Uchemadu in connection with the fatal stabbing of Wilson because of “insufficient” evidence, Bethesda Beat reported.

Uchemadu and the other two teenagers were students at Walt Whitman High School. In charging documents, Montgomery County Police alleged that the three planned to rob Wilson of two ounces of marijuana during an arranged purchase.

On Dec. 19, 2021, Wilson was stabbed multiple times and his throat was slit, according to prosecutors. Charging documents identified Lawrence as the assailant.

Lawrence is set to be tried in February 2023, according to the State’s Attorney’s office.