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Julia Birch, 28, of Kensington, was sentenced to 40 years in prison with all but 23 years suspended for her role in the death of her family friend and renowned artist Nancy Ann Frankel.
Montgomery County Police and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue personnel responded to a Spruell Drive home on July 28, 2021, in Kensington, to conduct a death investigation after Frankel was killed.
Upon arrival, Birch, then 26, advised officers that she had suffocated and killed her roommate, who was found dead in her bedroom.
Investigators said that Birch staged the body to “look more presentable” by laying the 92-year-old body on a pillow, folding her arms over her chest, and putting perfume on her after she was unable to get her back on her bed.
During the subsequent investigation, Birch admitted to killing Frankel by placing a plastic bag over her head to suffocate her, but she was able to escape by poking a hole in the bag.
When that was unsuccessful, Birch took her to the ground and strangled her to death, which was confirmed by both evidence and the autopsy. The murderer then called 911 to report the death.
According to a Maryland doctor, Birch was found to be experiencing psychotic symptoms at the time of the murder and she was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder; however, it was determined that she understood that murder was wrong and she could be tried.
Frankel, born in New Jersey, studied art at Temple University and Columbia University before moving to the DMV region in the 1960s, where she became a renowned sculptor whose work has been featured at prominent galleries and exhibits.
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