2014 murder defendant confesses to shooting

By D.C. Witness Staff - March 30, 2018
Court | Homicides | Suspects |

On March 29, nine days after a 2014 murder trial began, one of the defendants said he shot Willard Carlos Shelton in self defense.

James Young and Tyrone Height are charged with the alleged shooting death of Shelton on Aug. 31, 2014, in the parking lot of an apartment complex on the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road, SE. Young, 25, and Height, 25, are charged with first-degree murder among other charges.

“The truth is I did it,” Young said. “Back in 2014, I didn’t want that to get out at all.” He said he didn’t initially claim self defense because he did not know it was legal in Washington, D.C.

Young admitted to lying to the Metropolitan Police Department, a judge who previously presided over the case and the prosecution.

“Me knowing that a life was taken and I was responsible…I wasn’t trying to tell the truth,” he said. Young told the jury that he decided March 29 that it was time to finally tell the truth.

However, the prosecution insisted that Young waited so long to claim self defense because he did not shoot Shelton to defend himself, suggesting that Young’s statements to the jury were also lies. The prosecution is charging Young and Height with robbery and burglary while armed.

So, what happened?

According to Young, he owed Shelton $150 for a shotgun. On the morning of the homicide, Shelton came to collect, but Young said he didn’t have the money. He offered to give Shelton $150 worth of PCP, a drug Shelton was known for using, but he said Shelton grabbed him and wielded a .22 caliber revolver before he could get the drugs.

Young said he pistol whipped Shelton with a gun he was carrying and ran off. He said the two shot at one another while he was running through the parking lot. Young said one of his bullets struck Shelton.

Young said he ran into a woman’s apartment. According to Young, the two had a close relationship and he considered her as his grandmother. They are not related.

However, the woman testified that she had never seen Young before that day. Young told the jury that the woman lied on the stand because she testified to knowing a person named Dink, which, Young said, was one of his nicknames.

When Young left the woman’s apartment, he said he saw Shelton lying on the ground. Young told the jury Shelton was still alive when he took his gun, keys and wallet.

A DNA expert testified March 28 that the revolver contained DNA from at least two people with at least one of those people being male. However, the expert said there was not an efficient amount of DNA on the revolver to determine who held the gun.

Trial nears end

Height decided to not testify.

The trial is expected to continue on April 2 with the prosecution presenting more evidence and closing arguments.