UPDATE: Arrest Made in Shocking Death of Woman Found in Dumpster at Hechinger Mall
Washington, D.C. — In a disturbing and tragic development, the Metropolitan Police Department has announced a major break in the case of 62-year-old Donella Bryan, whose body was discovered inside a dumpster behind Hechinger Mall nearly two months ago. Authorities have arrested and charged 58-year-old Richard Lionel Dyson — Bryan’s former boyfriend and live-in roommate — with her murder. The arrest follows an exhaustive investigation detailed in newly released court documents spanning over 50 pages.
Donella Bryan, a beloved medical assistant and well-known figure in her Northeast D.C. neighborhood, was last seen alive on April 15, 2025. When she failed to show up for work the following day, concern quickly grew among her friends and coworkers. Just days later, her body was found inside a large plastic container that had been discarded in a dumpster near Hechinger Mall. The gruesome discovery shocked the community and launched an intensive homicide investigation.
Court documents reveal chilling details about what transpired in the days leading up to Bryan’s death. According to surveillance footage, Dyson was seen purchasing a large container on April 17, two days after Bryan was last seen alive. Detectives believe that container was used to conceal Bryan’s body.
The case took another turn when investigators learned that Dyson had help. His neighbor, identified as Perry Brown, is alleged to have assisted in both the killing and disposal of Bryan’s body. Surveillance video from April 18 shows Dyson and Brown moving the container, presumably with Bryan’s body inside, to Brown’s apartment. The move was reportedly prompted by concerns that Bryan’s daughter was coming to check on her mother’s whereabouts.
Later that same day, security footage captured Dyson and Brown transporting the container to a dumpster at Hechinger Mall — the very place where Bryan’s body was eventually found. Authorities recovered the remains the next day.
As the investigation progressed, police conducted searches of both Dyson’s and Brown’s apartments on June 11. At Dyson’s residence, which he shared with Bryan, officers found visible blood evidence. Dyson was immediately taken into custody and later charged with second-degree murder and unlawful disposal of human remains.
In a tragic twist, when police entered Perry Brown’s apartment, they discovered Brown dead on a bed with a white powdery substance nearby — suspected to be narcotics. Authorities are investigating the possibility of an overdose, but no official cause of death has been confirmed at this time.
Autopsy results revealed that Donella Bryan died from blunt force trauma and suffocation. She had been struck with a heavy object and asphyxiated before being placed in the container and dumped.
The arrest has brought a mix of relief and sorrow to Bryan’s loved ones and the wider community. Close friend Tammy Chaplin shared her feelings after learning Dyson had been arrested:
“Everybody told me they got him, Tammy. I said that’s good! That’s good,” she said with tears in her eyes. “I didn’t want to believe it… You don’t know what goes on behind closed doors.”
Chaplin described Bryan as “the smiling neighbor” and someone who loved her job and was deeply involved in her community. “She was kind, caring — someone who would do anything for you,” Chaplin added.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to piece together the full scope of the crime and any possible additional accomplices. Dyson is currently being held without bond pending his next court appearance.
The brutal nature of this crime, and the betrayal at the hands of someone Bryan once trusted, has left a lasting scar on the local community. Residents have expressed hope that justice for Donella Bryan will be fully served in court and that her memory will not be forgotten.