Murder suspect a good friend to victim, family says

Officer testifies that suspect admitted stabbing roommate; judge binds over case.

Donald Wayne Tucker (left) and his lawyer James Adams listens to testimony from Middletown police Detective Rich Bush Friday, Nov 6, during his preliminary hearing in Middletown Municipal Court. Tucker is charge with murder in the stabbing death of his roommate, Brian McKenzie.

Staff photo by Gary Stelzer Donald Wayne Tucker (left) and his lawyer James Adams listens to testimony from Middletown police Detective Rich Bush Friday, Nov 6, during his preliminary hearing in Middletown Municipal Court. Tucker is charge with murder in the stabbing death of his roommate, Brian McKenzie.

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By Lauren Pack, Staff Writer Updated 12:35 AM Saturday, November 7, 2009

MIDDLETOWN — Brian McKenzie was stabbed more than 10 times by his roommate at their Garfield Street residence on the night of Oct. 29, according to Middletown detectives. He was pronounced dead minutes later and Donald Wayne Tucker, who called 911 to report the stabbing, is charged with the slaying.

Tucker, 50, appeared in Middletown Municipal Court on Friday afternoon, Nov. 6, for a preliminary hearing. Following a short hearing, Judge Mark W. Wall found sufficient evidence to bind the case over to a Butler County grand jury for consideration.

McKenzie’s family sat in the front row. His sister, Debra McKenzie, held a copy of her brother’s obituary.

“It took 14 stabs to kill my brother,” she said crying after the hearing.

Lonnie McKenzie, Brian’s brother, described Tucker as a friend to his brother. He said they did argue sometimes “like friends do,” but when he talked to his brother just a few hours before he died, there was no indication of a dispute.

“Everything seemed fine. The radio was playing,” Lonnie McKenzie said. “(Brian) asked how I was feeling. Said he would see me later.”

Lonnie McKenzie said the next call he received was detectives telling him his brother was dead.

Detective Rich Bush testified an autopsy performed at the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office the day after the 51-year-old was pronounced dead at Atrium Medical Center indicates Mc- Kenzie was stabbed 14 times in the left side. He was found on the living room floor of the Garfield Street house, but there also was blood on the couch.

During questioning, Bush said Tucker admitted stabbing McKenzie one time. But Tucker gave two versions of how the stabbing occurred, according to Bush.

“He said Mr. McKenzie grabbed a knife out of a dart board, threatened him with it, he took it away from him and stabbed him,” Bush said.

In a second version, Tucker said McKenzie got the knife out of a dart board, then sat back down on the couch and later when Tucker walked by, there was an altercation ending with McKenzie’s stabbing, Bush said.

In the second version, Bush said Tucker didn’t say he had been threatened by McKenzie but said he “had that look.”

Defense attorney Jeremy Evans questioned if Tucker’s clothes had blood on them, especially after McKenzie was stabbed 14 times.

“They were not covered in blood,” Bush said, adding that crime lab testing may turn up some evidence.

In a 911 tape made to dispatchers about 9:45 p.m. Oct. 29, Tucker identified himself and said, “I got a man here that attacked me with a knife, I took it from him and stabbed him with it.” Later in the call he identified that victim as McKenzie.

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