Defendant Who Allegedly Put Murder Victim in Dumpster, Pleads Not Guilty

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Through his defense attorney, David Knight, Lewis Jones pleaded not guilty to all indictment charges in front of DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun at an arraignment hearing on June 17.

Jones, 28, was arraigned on charges of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a prohibited weapon, six counts of tampering with physical evidence, and obstructing justice for allegedly stabbing 42-year-old Anthony Jordan to death. The incident occurred on the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road, SE on Aug. 4, 2023.

Court documents state that Jordan’s friends and relatives reported him missing to members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on Aug. 8, 2023. MPD officers obtained records from Jordan’s cell phone, which showed all outgoing calls ceasing after Aug. 3, 2023.

Additionally, the records show Jordan’s last communication with location data, which reports his phone utilizing a cell tower nearly one mile from the scene of the incident.

According to court records, MPD officers interviewed a witness on Aug. 11 and 12, 2023, who testified to seeing Jones stab Jordan to death.

The witness said Jones and his girlfriend, Nichelle Thomas, put Jordan’s body in a suitcase, which they deposited in a dumpster, along with objects stained with blood from the incident.

Thomas, 36, is a co-defendant for the incident, facing charges of accessory after the fact for first-degree murder while armed, six counts of tampering with physical evidence, three counts of credit card fraud, two counts of threatening to kidnap or injure a person, and four counts of obstructing justice.

According to court documents, the witness who gave evidence to the police feared violent reprisals from the defendants for testifying. The witness alleged receiving death threats from Thomas.

Court records reveal that Thomas previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon for stabbing Jordan in 2016. They also state that Jones has a medical history of schizophrenia, and that Jordan was reported by his housemate to suffer from mental illness.

Arrest records show that Jordan’s body had still not been recovered as of Sept. 16, 2023, when warrants were issued for Jones’ and Thomas’ arrests.

Parties are slated to return on Oct. 4.