Husband shoots his wife dead as she runs ‘for her life’ from DC apartment, feds say

A 48-year-old man pleaded guilty to fatally shooting his wife in Washington, D.C., federal officials said.

In October 2024, Wyatt Swan shot his wife with a pistol in their northeast Washington apartment, according to a Jan. 24 news release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

After she was shot, she “ran for her life” and hid inside a nearby work van, prosecutors said.

Before hiding in the van, the woman was heard yelling “help me, call the police,” authorities said in court records.

Swan found her in the van and proceeded to fire several shots, killing her, officials said.

Swan left the area before being arrested, officials said.

McClatchy News reached out to Swan’s lawyer Jan. 27 and was awaiting a response.

When questioned by police, Swan said he didn’t remember what happened, but said he had bought two vials of dissociative anesthetic from a co-worker and smoked it through the night with his wife, authorities said.

He said he thought the drug was laced “because he felt different than usual” and said he didn’t remember anything after smoking it, according to court documents.

He is scheduled to reappear in court for his sentencing on March 21, officials said. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

This story was originally published January 27, 2025 at 2:39 PM with the headline "Husband shoots his wife dead as she runs ‘for her life’ from DC apartment, feds say."