D.C. man who pleaded guilty to stabbing, robbing two 84-year-olds sentenced to 25 years

WASHINGTON (WJLA) -- A D.C. man today pleaded guilty to a crime in Alexandria that left an elderly couple injured and shaken. Horace White, 53, pleaded guilty to seven charges stemming from the January 9 incident in which police say he terrorized a man and a woman, both 84-years-old. His sentence: 25 years in prison.

The couple was returning to their home near TC Williams High home after taking a walk when they found White inside the house, a burglary in progress. Police say White stabbed the man in near his stomach, took both of them upstairs and tied them up with electric chords and shoelaces. After later fleeing with a duffle bag filled with cash and jewelry, White got on the metro at Braddock Road. He was then arrested nearly 2 weeks later at the Rosslyn metro station after metro transit police traced activity from his Metro SmartTrip card. Authorities say White had pawned the jewelry in D.C. for $50 worth of crack cocaine.

Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter said this of the attack, “There was no need for the violence. They would have given him anything that they had without him having to stab anybody.”

Before sentencing, White apologized to the victims.

“I was wrong for what I did… I was on drugs,” he said.

“The notion you would terrorize defenseless individuals to support your drug habit is beyond belief,” Judge Jim Clark responded.

Emily Siegrist, the daughter of one of the victims, says both are battling back.

“They’re great. They’re tough as nails. They’re putting it behind them and this conviction will help with the healing process.”

Horace White is now set to plead guilty in Arlington to a different set of charges, the sentencing in that case will be tied in with this one. He will then begin serving his prison sentence of 25 years.