Lance Morrow

Lance is now almost 80, but he has never forgotten that day. Trust me, it's not every day a reporter comes across a dead body. I've only ever seen them at natural disasters, but a murder in a city park? Never. Never.

Lance is now almost 80, but he has never forgotten that day. Trust me, it's not every day a reporter comes across a dead body. I've only ever seen them at natural disasters, but a murder in a city park? Never. Never.

You'll notice that about me. I don't lurk. I'm out there. I'm an action kind of girl.

You'll notice that about me. I don't lurk. I'm out there. I'm an action kind of girl.

Washington, D.C. has always been a very segregated city. Crimes in the city only got the attention of the cops and the media if you had the right address. If you lived in a black neighborhood, chances were the police weren't rushing to the crime scene. Same thing with journalists.

Washington, D.C. has always been a very segregated city. Crimes in the city only got the attention of the cops and the media if you had the right address. If you lived in a black neighborhood, chances were the police weren't rushing to the crime scene. Same thing with journalists.

Sounds about right. I've spent a lot of time in D.C., and I can tell you Georgetown is a very swanky place. The towpath is filled with joggers, couples holding hands. It's one of the wealthiest zip codes in the country. The Clintons have a house there. Nancy Pelosi has a condo. And you might spot Jill Biden running. But it wasn't always like this.

Sounds about right. I've spent a lot of time in D.C., and I can tell you Georgetown is a very swanky place. The towpath is filled with joggers, couples holding hands. It's one of the wealthiest zip codes in the country. The Clintons have a house there. Nancy Pelosi has a condo. And you might spot Jill Biden running. But it wasn't always like this.

Historically, Georgetown had always been a black neighborhood. In the early 20th century, white federal employees trickled into the area. And by the 50s, Washington's white elites moved in. Less than 10% of the area was black. Here's Nina, the biographer, again.

Historically, Georgetown had always been a black neighborhood. In the early 20th century, white federal employees trickled into the area. And by the 50s, Washington's white elites moved in. Less than 10% of the area was black. Here's Nina, the biographer, again.

Mary's actual home was near her studio. It was a little blue townhouse right in the center of Georgetown.

Mary's actual home was near her studio. It was a little blue townhouse right in the center of Georgetown.

Once the white people moved in, the police and reporters took the neighborhood more seriously, which doesn't surprise me. But the towpath was still a paradoxical place. You'd find sleeping drunks next to a beautiful view of the canal with lily pads on it. After Mary waved goodbye to Polly, she passed the entryway to Key Bridge, the large concrete bridge connecting D.C. to Virginia.

Once the white people moved in, the police and reporters took the neighborhood more seriously, which doesn't surprise me. But the towpath was still a paradoxical place. You'd find sleeping drunks next to a beautiful view of the canal with lily pads on it. After Mary waved goodbye to Polly, she passed the entryway to Key Bridge, the large concrete bridge connecting D.C. to Virginia.

Her daily route was straightforward. She walked west, all the way to Fletcher's Boathouse, a fishing spot since the 19th century. Then Mary would turn around and make her way back east to her studio. Now, the actual details after Mary enters the towpath are a bit fuzzy. We don't know exactly how it all went down. Sources disagree on the order of events.

Her daily route was straightforward. She walked west, all the way to Fletcher's Boathouse, a fishing spot since the 19th century. Then Mary would turn around and make her way back east to her studio. Now, the actual details after Mary enters the towpath are a bit fuzzy. We don't know exactly how it all went down. Sources disagree on the order of events.

But here's what we've gathered from court documents, eyewitness accounts, and a bunch of books that have pieced together Mary's final moments. We know she walked along the wooden footbridge to get down to the towpath. Once she was on the path itself, Mary should have been able to hear the cars humming above her. The road was above the canal.

But here's what we've gathered from court documents, eyewitness accounts, and a bunch of books that have pieced together Mary's final moments. We know she walked along the wooden footbridge to get down to the towpath. Once she was on the path itself, Mary should have been able to hear the cars humming above her. The road was above the canal.

If you go there, you can hear the occasional traffic sounds or see the car roofs floating above the gray stone wall. Around 20 minutes or so into her walk, Mary was attacked from behind. A man held back her arms, preventing her from getting away. Mary squirmed, desperately trying to break free. She was strong. Maybe she thought she could topple her assailant. But the man was too much for her.

If you go there, you can hear the occasional traffic sounds or see the car roofs floating above the gray stone wall. Around 20 minutes or so into her walk, Mary was attacked from behind. A man held back her arms, preventing her from getting away. Mary squirmed, desperately trying to break free. She was strong. Maybe she thought she could topple her assailant. But the man was too much for her.