Homicide suspect called police, waited with victim for help

Donald Tucker

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By Lauren Pack, Staff Writer Updated 10:03 PM Thursday, November 5, 2009

MIDDLETOWN — When Middletown police arrived at Donald Wayne Tucker’s residence on Garfield Street Oct. 29, they already knew his roommate Brian McKenzie was stabbed and that Tucker did it — because he called 911, confessed, and was waiting for officers.

“I got a man here that attacked me with a knife, I took it from him and stabbed him with it,” Tucker told dispatcher Kathy Pierce around 9:45 p.m. that night.

When Pierce asked if the man lying on the living room floor was breathing, Tucker said, “ I don’t know, I’m not going to touch him,” according to the 911 call.

Pierce asked several times where Tucker stabbed McKenzie.

“I have no clue where I stabbed him,” Tucker said.

He also could not find the knife, until the dispatcher asked again.

“Oh, I see it right here,” Tucker said. “It’s on top of him. I’m not going to touch it.”

Tucker stayed on the line until officers arrived, who were heard on the tape telling him to step outside. He was taken into custody without incident and charged with murder.

Tucker told dispatchers, both he and McKenzie had been drinking alcohol, but couldn’t say what led to the stabbing.

“He pulled it (the knife) on me and I just grabbed it and stabbed him,” Tucker said.

At one point Tucker told Pierce that McKenzie was bleeding “bad” urging paramedics to “get here fast.”

McKenzie, 51, was transported to Atrium Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Middletown police Detective David Swartzel said Tucker gave several different stories about what occurred. He said McKenzie was stabbed multiple times and the assault occurred on the couch.

Tucker, 50, of 1108 1/2 Garfield, is scheduled to appear in Middletown Municipal Court at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, for a preliminary hearing. He is being held in the Middletown City Jail in lieu of a 150,000 bond.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2168 or lpack@coxohio.com.

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