District Man Arrested in Fatal Beating of Woman

Death Was City's 5th Slaying of the Year; Police Call Homicide Rate Unusually High

Takoma Park police announced yesterday the arrest of a 34-year-old District man in connection with Wednesday's slaying of Terhas Araia, the city's fifth homicide this year.

Johann M. Yarborough was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, assault and weapons charges, Detective Cpl. Andrew M. John said.

Police said the suspect was waiting in the 7500 block of Maple Avenue for Araia, 29, to arrive home. After he spotted her about 11:30 p.m. at the entrance to her apartment building, he beat her severely with a blunt object until she was unconscious. Araia was taken to a hospital, where she died. Takoma Park police, with the help of D.C. police, arrested Yarborough on Friday evening, John said.

Yarborough was in the D.C. jail yesterday awaiting extradition to Montgomery County.

John said police believe Araia and Yarborough dated for between three and six months. After Araia broke off the relationship, John said, Yarborough allegedly threatened to harm her.

Araia had two young children, a boy and a girl. Family members would not discuss the children but said they plan to start a fund for them.

John said the year's homicide rate is unusually high for the city, although none of the deaths appears to be related. Suspects have been arrested and charged in four of the cases, he said.

In the first homicide, which occurred March 2, a 62-year-old man died of a heart attack after a man entered his home in the 7100 block of Maple Avenue and assaulted and robbed him. A death that is the result of a burglary can be classified as a homicide, police said. An 18-year-old man was arrested in that case.

The second homicide took place May 15 in the 8600 block of Flower Avenue. A 66-year-old man was shot after two men entered his home and demanded property. The case is being investigated.

On June 10, a man was fatally shot in the 8800 block of Piney Branch Road. A 19-year-old man was arrested in that crime, in which another man was wounded.

On Sept. 1, a 27-year-old man was beaten with an aluminum baseball bat in the 1000 block of University Boulevard in an incident that police said was gang-related. The two men arrested in connection with the case are believed to be members of the gang Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, as was the victim.