Court Prepares For Georgetown Man's Trial In Wife's Murder

District of Columbia courts will hold a status hearing in preparation for the trial of Albrecht Muth in the murder of his 91-year-old wife Viola Drath, Wednesday.

The trial was scheduled for Jan. 6 after yet another was vacated earlier this month.

Wednesday’s hearing will focus on the possible exclusion of evidence of Muth’s “prior crimes,” the court’s record says. 

The German expatriate was charged with beating and strangling his 91-year-old, journalist wife, Drath, in August 2011, and he has a record of prior domestic abuse charges that Drath had dismissed.

Muth is probably best known around town for the Iraqi military uniform he wore all the time.

But an eight-page New York Times article “The Worst Marriage in Georgetown,” painted a shady picture of Muth’s life with Drath behind closed doors.

The article portrayed Muth as using Drath for money and political power while alienating her from those she was close with.  

“During her years with Muth, Drath’s social world slowly contracted. Guests flooded her home in response to Muth’s invitations, but she lost touch with old friends,” wrote Franklin Foer in the article. 

On August 12, 2011, Metropolitan Police found Drath dead on her bathroom floor and an autopsy the next day suggested Drath had been beaten and strangled.

Muth was charged with her murder a few days later.

And he remained jailed after a judge deemed him a danger to the community and a flight risk, a previous Patch article said. 

During the last two years, Muth’s detainment has been filled with ups and downs. 

Muth was hospitalized for mental evaluation and diagnosed with “narcissistic personality disorder,” but ultimately designated fit for trial in August 2012.

He was again hospitalized in February 2012 in critical condition after refusing to eat for months.  According to his doctor, he continues to fast on and off and remains in a “weakened physical state.” 

As of Dec. 2, he was still hospitalized and unable to attend his hearings.

Despite Muth's continued hospitalization, both the prosecutor and Muth's lawyer agreed that they were ready for trial in November. And although he is unable to travel between the hospital and the courtroom, he waived his right to be present, allowing the trial to go on without him, court records said.