DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt heard prosecution testimony from a neighbor that spotted a suspect vehicle said to be used in a murder and a GPS tracking specialist in trial on Sept. 9.
Reginald Steele, 26, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, conspiracy, 10 counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, 11 counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, four counts of carrying a pistol without a license, two counts of tampering with physical evidence, and five counts of possession of an unregistered firearm.
The charges are in connection to his alleged involvement in four shootings, including the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Malachi Lukes, at the 600 block of S Street, NW on March 1, 2020. Another individual sustained injuries during the incident.
Steele was also allegedly involved in a non-fatal shooting on March 1, 2020 at the unit block of Channing Street, NE, and a non-fatal shooting on Feb. 22, 2020 at the 700 block of Farragut Street, NW. No individuals sustained injuries.
Additionally, Steele faces charges for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting on Feb. 24, 2020 at the 1700 block of Ninth Street, NW. Three individuals sustained injuries during the incident.
Witnesses shared information about a 2016 Gray Kia Soul seen in connection with with various shootings, according to court documents.
A 2024 trial concluded that Steele’s co-defendants, Tyiion Freeman, 26, Koran Jackson, 25, Stephen Nelson, 34 and Aaron Brown, 29, stole the Kia Soul from Getaround, a car sharing company, and used it during the same shootings that Steele allegedly committed.
The prosecution submitted two pieces of evidence from a witness’ Ring camera one depicting an empty curbside parking spot at 2 p.m. and a video at 2:30 p.m. with the 2016 Kia Soul in the spot. The witness was unable to say when the vehicle parked and how many people got out, if any.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Megan Allbrun asked the witness why the Ring doorbell was unable to capture video footage of the Kia entering the parking spot. The witness replied that the camera sometimes malfunctions and doesn’t work properly.
“We hope you get a better Ring camera,” Allburn said.
Later, the prosecution called a GPS data analyst for Getaround to the stand.
Getaround utilizes a built-in GPS monitoring device in all of their vehicles and worked with MPD to provide location coordinates for the silver Kia Soul during the time it was allegedly operated by Steele and his accomplices.
The prosecution repeatedly showed GPS coordinates of the silver Kia Soul on Bruce St. NE, near the home of a 2019 homicide victim, Tahlil Bryd.
Defense counsel objected to the submission of Getaround data showing the car’s location in the days leading up to the shooting on the grounds that information about the vehicle’s whereabouts prior to the shooting should not suggest conspiracy prior to the March 1 shootings.
Judge Brandt overruled the objection.
“Establishing the location of the car to the homicides is relevant,” Brandt said.
The witness then walked the jury through a series of GPS “pings” during three “focus times”; around 2:08 p.m, when Malachi Lukes was killed, between 2:15-2:20 PM, around the time of a reported non-fatal shooting on the unit block of Channing St. NE, and 2:22 p.m, when the car was abandoned.
Cross examination by Allburn focused on what GPS data cannot capture, such as car doors opening and closing, number of passengers in the car, and the identity of said passengers.
Parties are set to reconvene Sept. 10.
