(AP, ABC7) Detectives returned to the Georgetown home of 91-year-old journalist Viola Drath Monday night to investigate her death, deemed a homicide.

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Drath twice reported violent attacks by her husband, Albrect Muth, who at 47 was 44 years her junior.

Muth said in an email sent to a list of people including ABC News correspondent Martha Raddatz, that he believes he is a suspect. Muth writes that he wants to "convince MPD of my innocence". He then asks "what touch DNA is/how significant? What does it prove?" and "get MPD to look for the real killer."

In 2006, Drath filed a police report alleging that Muth had hit her over the head with a chair. She told police Muth had been drinking and the two got into a verbal argument. He first struck her with a chair, then threw her to the floor and pounded her head onto the floor several times, the complaint says.

Drath, 86 at the time, alleged her husband refused to let her call police. She went to her daughter’s house the next day and notified authorities. Police found a broken chair in Drath’s house.

Muth was arrested for domestic violence in 2008, but not prosecuted, court records show.

Neighbors say they have police were at the house before.

“On a number of occasions I've seen police out here, there have been some problems,” said Robert Babyi, a neighbor.

The couple stood out in the Georgetown neighborhood and were often seen dancing at Martin’s Tavern, where the German-born Muth told people he was a general in the Iraq army.

Several neighbors said Muth told people he was an Iraqi general and was often seen dressing in military uniforms, sometimes with a whip or even a sword.

German-born Drath was a correspondent for German newspaper Handelsblatt, wrote columns for The Washington Times, authored several books and was a member of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy.

Police first believed Drath died from natural causes but now investigate the death as a homicide.

“For me its frightening if someone was murdered in the house, and we're living right here,” said neighbor Melissa Hotchkiss.

Police have not identified any suspects and have made no arrests.