Man Strangled Girlfriend, Police Say

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By Megan Greenwell

Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 16, 2008; Page B02

A 28-year-old Waldorf man has been charged with strangling his girlfriend after a domestic dispute, apparently over the use of her car, police sad.

Louis S. Leysath III was charged with second-degree murder and two counts of assault after his girlfriend, Jasmine N. Clark, 23, was found Wednesday night with a cord tied around her neck at her apartment in the 3000 block of Gallery Place, near St. Charles Parkway. Clark's 7-year-old daughter called police after finding her mother unresponsive in her bedroom.

Shortly before being called to Clark's home, police were called to Leysath's parents' home just after 10 p.m. Wednesday. His parents said their son was being disorderly and was possibly under the influence of drugs, police said. Leysath was taken from his parents' home, about five miles north of Clark's home, to Civista Medical Center for an emergency evaluation after police concluded that he had been using drugs.

About five minutes later, police were sent to the Gallery Place address after receiving a call from Clark's daughter. The child, who had been in the apartment with her 3-year-old sister, told police she overheard an argument between her mother and Leysath sparked by Clark's refusal to give the man her car keys.

The girl told police that the couple's argument became physical and that Leysath threatened to choke Clark, said Kristen Timko, a spokeswoman for the Charles County sheriff's office. The girl saw Leysath leave the apartment holding Clark's car keys, found her mother not breathing, then called 911 and went to a neighbor's house, Timko said. Clark was taken to Civista, where she was pronounced dead.

Police quickly realized a link between the two calls based on conversations with Clark's daughter and Leysath's parents, and they arrested Leysath when he was released from the hospital. Timko said there was no history of domestic violence between the couple.

Police said Clark's children were uninjured and are staying with a relative.

Staff researcher Julie Tate contributed to this report.