Georgetown Man, Albrecht Muth, Arrested for Murder of Much-Older Wife, Viola Drath

Aug. 17, 2011 -- A murder mystery in Georgetown this weekend is developing as a case involving alleged domestic violence between a middle-aged Washington, D.C., man known for throwing dinner parties and a wife who was almost twice his age.

D.C. police have arrested Albrecht Muth, 47, in connection with the death of his wife, Viola Drath, 91.

Muth, a resident of Georgetown, was arrested on Tuesday evening and charged with second-degree murder after telling ABC7 in Washington that he did not think he was a serious suspect in the investigation earlier that day.

Drath died of blunt force trauma and strangulation, ABC7 reported. Citing charging documents, the station added that Muth had scratches on his face that detectives believe are evidence of a struggle.

Drath and Muth were married about 25 years. She was a journalist previously married to a U.S. Army colonel in Georgetown. More recently, Drath was a correspondent on German-American relations and a member of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy.

Their townhouse was not the most obvious site for a murder. It was known more for dinner parties and lively conversation. Muth, a German man who has been known to wear an Iraqi military uniform and blogged as Albrecht Gero Muth, would hold forth on international affairs.

On Friday, Aug. 12, D.C. police responded to reports of an unconscious person at the couple's home and discovered Drath, unresponsive, according to a Metropolitan Police Department report.

On Aug. 13, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for D.C. reported that Drath's death was a homicide.

Assistant Police Chief Peter Newsham said Muth had a history of domestic violence. In 2008, Viola Drath dropped a prosecution of her husband for domestic violence, according to Muth's former attorney, Martin Rosendorf.

Newsham said Muth was the only suspect currently under investigation for the murder.