Hopkins researcher stabbed to death in robbery; two charged

BALTIMORE - Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's Reaction:

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake talked about Stephen Pitcairn's murder Wednesday. She says, "A senseless tragedy and an example of a breakdown of the system ... I'm certain like everyone I'm looking into the circumstances behind the release and try to learn if there is anything that could have been done better and differently on my part.. I am certainly making sure that we have all the police officers that we need on the street to work in cooperation with the community to make sure they are vigilant in the neighborhoods where people walk at night."

Researcher Stabbed to Death

Stephen Pitcairn should have turned 24 Tuesday.

Police say it was John Wagner and his wife Levelva who robbed then murdered the Johns Hopkins researcher Sunday night stabbing him in the chest.

"It's frustrating for us. This is a tragic, tragic death of a brilliant young scholar. It is upsetting for each of us here, it is upsetting for prosecutors who work very hard to keep individuals like this behind bars," said Baltimore City State’s Attorneys Office spokesperson Margaret Burns.

But Wagner, it seems, should never have had the chance. The now 34 year old murder suspect has a checkered and documented past seemingly clearing each criminal hurdle along the way.

Most recently is a robbery on West Mulberry Street back in April. Police say the guy in the Phillies cap appearing on the CCTV video feed is Wagner helping to rob a victim outside a gas station.

A jury never saw the video or the written statement from the victim. The state's attorney's office dropped the case saying the victim refused to testify for fear Wagner was part of a gang.

"He was adamant that he would not come to court for this particular case. Ultimately prosecutors had to drop that case," said Burns.

That was this year; Wagner's criminal trail starts in 2008.

Wagner pleaded guilty to a domestic violence assault receiving an eight year suspended sentence. He got probation; a privilege the courts call it, but in just under a year, Wagner violated his probation several times. He was twice found guilty, once dismissed.

The Honorable John Howard never serving any part of the eight years hanging over Wagner's head. But according to court records, Wagner violated his probation a fourth time.

Parole and probation argued for yet another warrant against Wagner on July 7th of this year...it was finally signed last Thursday, July 22nd, a mere three days before police say Wagner stabbed Pitcairn killing the researcher just two days before he would turn 24.

Wagner will have a bail review tomorrow. His wife and police say his accomplice was arraigned today and is being held without bail.

We called Judge Howard for a reaction to this story but have not received a call back.