Student Gets 35 Years for Slaying Friend

A Johns Hopkins University student expressed remorse for killing his “dear friend” after a meeting of the College Republicans club and said a day doesn’t go by when he doesn’t think about him. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Before his trial could begin, Robert Harwood Jr., 23, withdrew his plea of not criminally responsible for the murder of classmate Rex Chao, 19. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and a weapons charge. Harwood met Chao staffing a College Republicans booth. The friendship remained close until the fall of 1995 when Chao met Suzanne Hubbard. The woman’s family and police said Harwood was upset by the relationship.