Shooting Defendant Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Murder

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A defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed in front of DC Superior Court Judge Raffinan on Oct. 4.

Martinez Raynor, 24, was originally charged with conspiracy, felony murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of carrying a pistol without a license and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance while armed. These charges stem from his involvement in a shooting that occurred on Oct. 20, 2018 on the 3500 block of Wheeler Road, SE, which resulted in the death of 19-year-old Malik McCloud.

According to David Knight, Raynor’s attorney, the agreement required Raynor to plead guilty to second-degree murder while armed in exchange for the dismissal of all other charges, as well as a dismissal of a case in which Raynor is charged with simple assault for attacking an officer at the DC Jail.

Through the deal, the parties agreed that the appropriate sentencing range is 14-to-20 years of incarceration.

The potential maximum sentence for this charge is 40 years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 charge with a term of supervised release of not more than five years.

His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 7.