Richard Dyson, 58, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend, Donnella Bryan, whose body was found in a dumpster at Hechinger Mall in Northeast Washington, D.C. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Dyson pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of second-degree murder in Superior Court. According to evidence presented by the government, on April 15, 2025, Dyson killed Bryan at the Press House Apartments by striking her and suffocating her with a sock. He then bought a large container from Home Depot and, with help from an accomplice, disposed of her body in a dumpster. Bryan’s body was discovered on April 19, 2025. Dyson was arrested on June 11, 2025, and has remained in custody since that time.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro stated: “I commend the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.” She also recognized staff from her office: “I acknowledge the efforts of those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, Victim/Witness Advocate Karina Hernandez.”
Pirro further praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Cocuzza for his role: “Finally, I commend the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Cocuzza, who investigated and prosecuted the case.”
