SILVER SPRING, Md. — A man was sentenced to life in prison Friday for the brutal murder of his wife in 2021.
Editor's Note: This story talks about a violent murder that may be disturbing to some readers.
A jury found 45-year-old Reginald Dunlap guilty in March of killing 40-year-old Lauren Charles.
Charles was a beloved and highly accomplished attorney, former college admissions officer and historic preservationist before she was killed by her husband in the home they shared.
Evidence shown at trial showed Dunlap beat Charles with a Buddha figurine and stuffed a pillowcase down her throat. He then attempted to cover up the crime scene and attended church the next day in an attempt to concoct an alibi.
According to testimony in the case, Charles had come to the conclusion that she needed to end the couple's marriage and had given Dunlap until the end of the month to leave the home that she owned. Testimony in the case claimed Charles owned all the couple's assets and Dunlap would be left with "less than nothing" if the marriage ended.
Dunlap was sentenced to life in prison with all but 55 years suspended. Additionally, he will be required to serve five years of supervised probation upon release.
Lauren Charles's father, John Charles Jr., spoke in a press conference following the sentencing.
"Lauren is living within us, she's still with us. She has an essence that will never disappear. The physical taking of her life was an incident that galvanized love and I guess a commitment to us sharing her light with others," he said. "You look at the violence, you look at the act itself and said it was evil but we all know that god does not allow evil to occur unless there is going to be great goodness that will follow it."
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.