Second arrest made in Lenny Harris murder

WASHINGTON – A second suspect was arrested on Thursday in connection with the murder of Lenny Harris, the Alexandria community activist whose body was found in a Fort Washington well last week.

Ivan Newman, 20, was arrested in Charles County and charged with murder, kidnapping and robbery.

On Tuesday, Linwood Johnson, 49, confessed to Harris’ murder during police questioning, police say. Johnson told police he knew Harris and that his motive was robbery.

Information in the missing person’s case file at the Alexandria Police Department led detectives to Linwood, Prince George’s County police say.

Johnson is being held without bond.

Police say the investigation continues and more arrests in the case may be possible.

Harris, 53, had been missing since September. He was last seen around 9 p.m. Sept. 21, 2011, according to Alexandria Police.

Police retrieved the body two days after an anonymous tip prompted them to look in an abandoned 20-foot well located behind a vacant home in the 11900 block of Old Fort Road, roughly halfway between Gallahan and Livingston Roads.

Rewards leading to the arrest and conviction of Harris’ killer total $38,000.

After Harris disappeared in September, his phone was found on the Wilson Bridge, not far from the well. His car was found abandoned in October in Prince George’s County.

There were delays in removing the body as police had to wait for a permit to obtain the equipment necessary to perform the excavation.

Prince George’s police, fire and hazardous materials officials had been on the scene since the discovery. Alexandria Police also aided in the investigation.

Before retrieving the body on Saturday, authorities had to dig down around the well and reinforce it so that investigators could go down to retrieve the body and search for evidence, says Max Smith, a WTOP reporter who was on the scene Saturday.

The excavating team says the well was mostly dry.

A back hoe worked most of the day Saturday to dig down to the bottom of the well

Prince George’s police searched the bottom of the well for evidence after the body was removed.

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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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