Police are investigating the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Jermaine Richards Jr.
Richards was discovered by police around 2:55 p.m., on July 30, in the 4400 block of Quarles Street, NE. He was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC fire and EMS found no signs consistent with life and he was pronounced dead.
Police have not yet released any suspect information.
The alleged suspects in the murder of 50-year-old Lenard Wills appeared in court for a status hearing.
Joseph Barbour, Willie Glover and Charles McRae allegedly stabbed Wills on Dec. 21, 2015 on the 700 block of 24th Street, NE.
In court, Judge Hiram Puig-Lugo asked McRae and Barbour if they wanted evidence, collected from the government, to be tested by independent DNA experts. Both defendants said they did not want the DNA evidence to be independently tested.
The judge allowed the government to reject subpoenas the defense had issued, stating that the defense hadn’t shown a need for the subpoenas.
A debate also occurred over having a pretrial hearing to discuss evidence and a conspiracy charge. The defense wanted to hold a pretrial hearing in order to discuss the conspiracy charge but the judge said they would continue with the motions hearing.
The hearing is set to take place on Aug. 14.
The defense for Jose Rodriguez-Cruz and the government discussed DNA evidence in a status hearing while Rodriguez-Cruz awaits a trial.
Rodriguez allegedly killed 47-year-old Pamela Butler and was charged with first-degree murder on April 10. According to detectives he has had a history of alleged violence.
The government said some DNA testing had been conducted but the results indicated that no DNA was discovered. They also stated that they would give the defense any additional results if they decide to do more DNA testing. In order to do more testing the government requested that Rodriguez have be fingerprinted.
They are set to appear in court on Sept. 29 for a status hearing.
Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a person of interest in the murder of 39-year-old Jason Antonio Dale.
Dale was discovered by police, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, around 9:30 p.m. June 12, on the 500 block of Parkland Place, SE. He was then transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Police have released a video where the person of interest can be seen running down the street.
The man charged with the murder of his wife has died.
Manuel Antonio Ramos, 70, allegedly fatally stabbed his common-law wife Santos Lydia Ventura on June 7, 2015 on the 1400 block of T Street, NW.
Ramos died on May 15, 2016, at Washington Adventist Hospital, according to the motion filed by the government.
The 70-year-old suffered from a stroke after the alleged murder and had been at St. Elizabeth Hospital since then.
Editors Note: The defendant in this case has since been acquitted on all counts.
Police are investigating the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Daniel Shelton Parker.
Parker was discovered by police around 11:19 p.m., on July 26, in the 2000 block of Fairlawn Ave. He was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC fire and EMS found no signs consistent with life and he was pronounced dead.
The police are still looking for suspects.
Police are investigating the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Victor Williams.
Williams was discovered by police around 8:30 a.m., on July 26, on the Anacostia River Trail, south of the 3300 block of East Capitol Street, SE. He was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Williams displayed no signs consistent with with life and was pronounced dead.
Police have yet to release any suspect information.
Daniel Parker was killed July 26, 2017.
[documentcloud url=”http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3902457-Daniel-Parker-homicide-reward-flier.html” responsive=true]
Victor Williams was killed July 26, 2017.
[documentcloud url=”http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3902458-Victor-Williams-homicide-reward-flier.html” responsive=true]
Lamont McDonald remains hospitalized after he was shot earlier this month in a fight with another man, whom he allegedly killed.
McDonald allegedly shot Malachi Yisrael, 43, in 300 block of 50th street, Northeast on July 5. An alleged drug deal between the two resulted in a confrontation. Yisrael hit McDonald multiple times, which caused McDonald to shoot at him. Yisrael was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. Another individual on the scene returned shots at McDonald.
McDonald was excused from a court appearance this week because he was still in the hospital. McDonald’s attorney said they didn’t know when he will be released.
They will again attempt a preliminary hearing on July 31.
The government said they are still waiting on a report from a doctor evaluating Brandon Franklin.
Franklin allegedly stabbed Marvin Stewart, 49, on Jan. 8, 2015 on the 700 block of 19th ST. NE.
In April, the government requested that Franklin undergo a mental evaluation, giving a timeline of three months for that to be done. On Wednesday, the government said that the doctor conducting the mental evaluation needs to meet with him again, before providing a full mental evaluation.
The defense responded by asking for a month, after the report is delivered, so they can rebut the doctor’s mental evaluation of Franklin.
The judge also asked if he wanted to have DNA testing done independently, on evidence that the government had collect. Franklin stated that he did not want to have independent testing done.
There is a lot both sides hope to get done before the jury trial on Oct. 17.
The are set to appear on Aug. 28 for a status hearing, in hopes that the full mental evaluation has been delivered.
[documentcloud url=”http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3900550-Andre-Johnson-homicide-reward-flier.html” responsive=true]
Andre Johnson was killed July 21, 2017.
Jamil Betts’ request to withdraw his previous guilty plea was denied in court.
Betts was arrested in July for the murder of Andre Antwon McConnell, 10 weeks after the victim was fatally shot and killed. McConnell was found in late April on the 3100 block of Buena Vista Terrace, SE along with another adult male. Both victims were taken to a nearby hospital where McConnell eventually succumbed to his injuries. Betts was charged with second-degree murder while armed.
During a hearing in April of 2016, Betts’ attorney entered a guilty plea, and then shortly after withdrew from the case altogether. Upon receiving a new attorney, Chantaya Redmond-Reid, Betts withdrew his guilty plea, asking to proceed with a trial. In court, Judge Michael Ryan denied the request to withdraw the original plea.
Betts’ sentencing has been scheduled for September 22.
After suffering from a gunshot wound for nearly five months, Yashika Green succumbed to her injuries Friday.
The 42-year-old was found in the early morning of March 1, in a residence on the 200 Block of Wayne Place, SE. Green suffered from an apparent gunshot wound and was immediately transported to a nearby hospital, where she remained up until her death months later.
The medical examiner determined her death to be a result of complications from a gunshot wound and her manner of death to be a homicide.
Police have yet to release any suspect information.
The month of June tallied eight homicides and four cases were put to rest as suspects were either found guilty or pleaded guilty.
June of 2016 saw a total of nine homicides, one more than June of 2017. From the beginning of 2017 to the end of June this year there have been fifty-seven homicides compared to sixty-two that took place from the beginning of 2016 to the end of June 2016.
Here is our monthly wrap-up of cases covered in June.
Homicides
Of the eight murders, five were shootings, two were stabbings and one resulted from unknown causes. Of the homicides that occurred during the month, two arrests were made.
Half of the murders occurred in the Northeast quadrant of the city while the other half occurred in the Southeast quadrant of the city.
The first homicide victim was Dominic Brooks, 29, who was found suffering from stab wounds by police, on June 9 on the 800 block of Chesapeake St., SE.
William Edward Smith, 32, was charged with second-degree murder on June 15. At the arraignment, the government noted that Smith had fled from and assaulted the police along with this charge being his third murder charge.
A few days after the fatal stabbing of Brooks, police discovered Jason Dale, 23, suffering from gunshot wounds, around 9:30 pm June 12, on the 500 block of Parkland Place, SE. He was then taken to a hospital where he died from his injuries. Police are currently investigating this shooting.
Later in the month, Malik Hill, 25, was fatally shot around 10:30 p.m. on June 16, on the 2700 block of Langston Place, SE. He was then transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. This homicide is currently under investigation.
Another homicide occurred on June 19 shortly after 10:00 am on the 300 block of 54th St. NE. Reginald Parks, 51, was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead. Police have not yet released any suspect information.
Police have made an arrest for the fatal stabbing of Leonte Cox, 23, who was discovered on June 17 in the 1600 block of R St., SE. and died from his injuries on June 26.
Police are currently investigating the death of Michael Vest, 29, who was found by police on June 28, in the 1300 block of Trinidad Ave., NE. suffering from head trauma. He was pronounced dead on the scene and then transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Kimberly Shaw was charged with second-degree murder while armed, in court on June 28. Her attorney argued that she was trying to defend herself from the victim who had a history of abusing her and requested that she should be released. The judge denied the request and she is being held without bail.
Near the end of the month, on June 29. Jeffery Lawrence King was found by police with multiple gunshot wounds in the 800 block of 46th Street, NE, at approximately 12:00 am. The police are still investigating the homicide.
Court
Three suspects pleaded guilty this month. Trishelle Jabore, 26, and Jay Crowder, 33, killed their seven-week old daughter Trinity Jabore when they failed to provide adequate food and nutrition for her, sold food stamps for cash and never took her to the hospital. They both pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, first-degree child cruelty, and welfare fraud. Crowder also pled guilty to a charge of attempted distribution of a controlled substance. They are set to be sentenced on Sept 8.
Paul Hagans also pleaded guilty to the murder of Desmond Joseph. Police reported that Hagans fatally punched Joseph during an altercation about parking. Joseph was then transferred to a hospital where he died from blunt force trauma to the head. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 8.
There were two trials that took place in the month of June which is a rare instance. In the two-and-a-half years of D.C. witness, there have only been three trials. The trials of Delonte Wynn and Jonathan Taylor both resulted in guilty verdicts.
Delonte Wynn was found guilty of the murder of Darlene Bryant. Wynn shot and killed Bryant in the 4300 block of Wheeler Road, SE, on May 13, 2015. Many witnesses testified, DNA evidence was shown, along with text messages and phone calls which led the jury to their guilty verdict. Wynn is set to be sentenced on Sept 11.
Jonathan Taylor was found guilty of the murder of Dexter Motley. Taylor killed Motley near the Benning Road and East Capital Street area on Aug 13, 2014. The trial of Taylor saw many witness testimonies, expert testimonies, the defendant testifying, and firearm evidence which was also used to help determine the verdict. He is set to be sentenced on Aug 25.
