27-year-old sentenced for murder of her 92-year-old roommate

WASHINGTON - A 27-year-old woman was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Thursday for the second-degree murder of her 92-year-old roommate in Montgomery County, MD. 

Julie Birch pleaded guilty in March to the murder of Nancy Ann Frankel. 

In July of 2021, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue were called to a death investigation at a home on Spruell Drive in Kensington, Maryland. The home was shared between then-26-year-old Birch, and 92-year-old Nancy Ann Frankel. Police found Frankel dead in her bedroom.

Birch admitted she had attempted to suffocate Frankel with a plastic bag. Frankel was able to poke a hole in the bag but was wrestled to the ground and Birch fatally strangled her. 

Following the murder, Birch attempted to move Frankel into her bed, but when she was unsuccessful, she instead laid the victim on a pillow, folded her arms over her chest and put perfume on her.

Birch then called 911 to report the death and was taken into police custody. 

Birch's mental state was evaluated by a state doctor and she was diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder. However, the doctor also determined Birch understood murder was wrong and could control her conduct to conform to the law.

Birch was sentenced to 40 years in prison but will only be made to serve 23 years in prison and five years of supervised probation upon release. She will also be admitted to the Patuxent Eligible Persons Program while incarcerated, and be made to complete 240 hours of community service upon probation.

Frankel was a talented sculptor and teacher who lived in the Kensington area for over 50 years. Community members say she was a "very kind, very talented woman."