DISTRICT BRIEFING

SUPERIOR COURT

Jury Convicts Md. Man of Soliciting Murder

A D.C. Superior Court jury found a Silver Spring man guilty yesterday of soliciting the murder of a former boyfriend on whom he had taken out five life insurance policies totaling $500,000.

Prosecutors said Erik Collins, 44, of the 800 block of Thayer Avenue solicited two men to kill Lorenzo Boone, 22, formerly of Germantown. They said Collins offered to pay $1,000 to one man, who instead of killing Boone approached police. During the trial last week, another witness said Collins had offered him $5,000 to kill Boone.

Collins was convicted in 1999 of killing a man in the District with whom he had a relationship and had been on probation after being released from prison, prosecutors said. Collins is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 22.

-- Keith L. Alexander

NORTHWEST

Body of Woman Is Found in Potomac River

The body of a woman thought to be about 40 was pulled yesterday from the Potomac River near Fletcher's Boat House in Northwest Washington, D.C. police said.

The woman, whom police are trying to identify, was found by a boater. The woman is white, 5-foot-4 and about 140 pounds and has brown shoulder-length hair. She was wearing pearl earrings, a silver wristwatch, black pants, a light-colored shirt and black-and-white tennis shoes, police said. She had a black backpack containing a tan raincoat.

An autopsy will be performed by the medical examiner, authorities said. Anyone with information is asked to call D.C. police at 202-727-9099 or the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner at 202-698-9000.