Julia Birch. Via Montgomery County Police Department.
A Kensington woman was sentenced to prison Thursday for the murder of her 92-year-old roommate in 2021.
Julia Birch, 28, was sentenced in circuit court to 40 years in prison with all but 23 years suspended for the murder of 92-year-old Nancy Ann Frankel, who was Birch’s family-friend and roommate, according to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office (MCSAO). She was also sentenced to five years of supervised probation after release as well as 240 hours of community service.
The judge recommended she be admitted to the Eligible Person Program at Patuxent Institution while incarcerated, according to MCSAO.
Birch pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in March.
In July 2021, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) officers and fire/rescue personnel responded to a home on Spruell Drive in Kensington for a death investigation.
Birch, who was 26 at the time, told officers she suffocated and killed Frankel, who was found dead in her bedroom, per MCSAO. Birch staged Frankel’s body to “look more presentable,” and put perfume on her after initially trying to put Frankel’s body into her bed.
Nancy Ann Frankel. Credit: Ulf Wallin Photography
Birch admitted to killing Frankel by trying to put a plastic bag over her head to suffocate her, according to MCSAO, and then strangling her to death on the ground after Frankel poked a hole in the bag.
Evidence and autopsy confirmed the manner of death. In 2021, police said that Birch admitted to killing Frankel and calling 911 to report her death. Police said the cause of death was asphyxiation.
According to MCSAO, a state doctor diagnosed Birch with schizoaffective disorder, finding she was having psychotic symptoms at the time of the murder. The doctor also found Birch “still understood murder was wrong and could control her conduct to conform to law,” per MCSAO.
