A 19-year-old Bowie State University student faces murder charges in the fatal stabbing of her college roommate, Maryland State Police say.
An argument between the two women in their dorm room turned physical as they were getting ready to attend a school-sponsored comedy event Thursday night, according to court documents filed in Prince George’s County District Court in the case.
Police said Dominique T. Frazier, 18, of the District, was stabbed in her neck during the fight. When officers arrived on the scene around 8 p.m., her roommate, Alexis Simpson, of District Heights, had already fled the campus. They found Miss Frazier laying unconscious on the hallway floor outside her room in the Christa McAuliffe Residential Community dorms. She died within the hour.
Miss Simpson is being charged with first- and second-degree murder and first-degree assault in the incident, according to Maryland State Police, who are investigating the death.
“This kind of senseless violence is difficult to understand,” said Bowie State University officials in a statement issued Friday. “The entire university community is distressed that this type of violence has occurred within our midst.”
The stabbing occurred as the roommates were getting ready to attend a school-sponsored comedy show, court documents state. Miss Simpson turned off an iPod that was playing music in the apartment. An argument between Miss Simpson and Miss Frazier turned physical and another person in the apartment separated the two by shoving Miss Simpson in her room and closing the door.
A few minutes later, Miss Simpson emerged from her room with what looked like a knife in hand, went into Miss Frazier’s room and began swinging at her, the documents state.
People in the dorm apartment heard Miss Simpson say, “I didn’t mean to do it, you all don’t know what I’ve been though, you all jumped me.”
Miss Simpson left the college campus after that, but turned herself into police around midnight.
Maryland State Police spokesman Greg Shipley said the agency’s investigation has not turned up evidence of any prior violent altercations between the two women.
Bowie State, which is celebrating homecoming this weekend, canceled classes Friday and held a campus-wide gathering for students at noon.
Miss Simpson is being held without bond pending a hearing Monday.
• Andrea Noble can be reached at anoble@washingtontimes.com.
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