KENSINGTON, Md. — A Montgomery County man was arrested and charged with murder after police say he killed his wife and attempted to cover it up.
Reginald Dunlap Jr., 43, of North Kensington, has been charged with first-degree murder after his wife, Lauren Charles, was found dead Sunday inside their home on the 11600 block of College View Drive in North Kensington.
According to police, Dunlap called 911 Sunday afternoon at around 1:40 p.m. saying he’d arrived back from church and found his wife dead in the master bedroom. Upon arrival, Montgomery County police said they discovered Charles dead "with trauma to her body."
Court documents reveal the bedroom was "completely ransacked" and spattered with blood, and that "officers observed what they believed to be blood on Dunlap's hand." Investigators found "an empty bottle of bleach next to the body" and cleaning supplies, according to the court filings.
Neighbors told police and WUSA9 they heard nothing.
"They were very private," one neighbor told WUSA9's Scott Broom.
During an initial investigation, detectives said they identified Dunlap Jr. as the suspect. He was arrested and later charged with one count of first-degree murder. He is currently being held without bond, police said.
Charles’ body was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore where an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of her death.
The 40-year-old was a lawyer, with a Master's degree in historic preservation, who grew up in New Orleans. She was the granddaughter of Earl A. Barthe, a renowned American architectural artist known nationally for his “Creole” craftsmanship in plaster, according to a spokesperson for her family. She spent time helping New Orleans neighbors recover in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Charles was a former assistant director of admissions at the University of Oregon School of Law where she was a graduate, according to the school’s Dean of Students. She remained active with the university, and served as a minority outreach assistant for the Admissions Office, even as her career blossomed in the D.C. area, according to Jennifer Espinola, Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Law School Dean of Students at University of Oregon School of Law.
“She just spoke to students a few weeks ago about career paths," Espinola said. “Lauren was a caring and dedicated alumna and friend who will be greatly missed."
In her D.C. career, Charles did work for the Department of Justice as a project manager at Liedos, a large Reston-based government contractor and consulting firm, according to Gina Rachal, a family friend in New Orleans.
"We are stunned and saddened by this loss,” Leidos Chairman and CEO Roger Krone said in a written statement. “She was a talented individual with a bright future and will be missed. Our thoughts are with Lauren’s family and friends during this difficult time. We are working with local authorities to provide any assistance we can offer.”
Charles married Dunlap Jr. in May 2019, according to a post on her Facebook page. Before he was arrested and charged, Dunlap told investigators he and his wife were "possibly separating," but that he did not want to break up, according to court documents.
In 2018, Dunlap was named in a domestic violence protection order, which was ultimately denied by a Prince George’s County judge. Records do not reveal who sought the order against Dunlap.
"There is no statutory basis for relief,” court records said.
Montgomery County Police are asking anyone who may have additional information regarding Dunlap Jr. or Charles that may be related to this investigation to please call detectives at 240-773-5070.
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