Gay Suspects Found Not Guilty, Widow Settles for Millions

Although Katherine Wone, widow of 2006 murder victim Robert Wone, remains convinced his three gay friends are responsible for his death, yesterday's settlement decision brought at least some minor resolution.

Wone settled a $20 million wrongful death suit with defendants Joseph Price, Victor Zeborsky, and Dylan Ward, who were all in their Dupont Circle area townhouse with Robert at the time of his death. As part of the monetary settlement (less than the originally requested $20 million), the three have agreed to make payments to the Robert E. Wone Memorial Trust, which will go to charities Robert supported.

"I do believe that the three men were involved in Robert's murder," Kathy Wone told WJLA News Wednesday.

Attorneys representing the three could not be reached for comment, nor could the defendants themselves.

Five years ago Wone, the former general counsel for Radio Free Asia, was fatally stabbed three times in the chest by an unknown intruder in a Washington, D.C., townhouse where he was staying with friends.

Katherine Wone stated the main goal of the lawsuit was to uncover more information about the death of her husband, but Price, Zeborsky and Ward were found not guilty at a criminal trial in which they were charged with obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and evidence tampering in connection with Robert's killing. They had said he was killed by someone who broke into the house. No one has been charged with the murder, and police say the case remains open.

Counsel for the men had previously said they were unfairly targeted because they are gay, and the defendants made it clear in a statement that they would be invoking the Fifth Amendment when the wrongful death suit went to trial. The trial had been scheduled for later this year.

"They can rot from the inside out from all the secrets they chose to keep," Katherine Wone told The Washington Post regarding the defendants. "That's their choice. I chose to move on."