Defense Argues that Investigation by Lead Detective is Insufficient

By D.C. Witness Staff - January 27, 2020
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

During a motions hearing on Jan. 24, defense counsel questioned a lead detective about his investigation of a murder case.  

Deon Crowell, 50, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing Joni Rockingham, 53, on the 300 block of 34th Street, NE on Dec. 12, 2017. Police discovered Rockingham in the River Terrace neighborhood unconscious and unresponsive among several garbage bins with a significant amount of dirt on top of her. 

The defense argued that the detective had not sufficiently investigated the case. According to the defense, the detective missed foundational steps in building the case because he became the lead investigator later on in the case.  

Apparently, cases for various other suspects who engaged in violent behaviors, including her ex-boyfriend who assaulted her on multiple occasions and another individual who had been caught on surveillance cameras assaulting Rockingham in a liquor store’s parking lot, were dismissed by the detective. 

The detective said he did not look into any of the other suspects. He only investigated Crowell.

Additionally, defense counsel said the detective neglected to do frequent check-ins with other officers about the case and was unaware of various smaller-scale investigations that pertained to the case. Details on the smaller-scale investigations were not disclosed in open court. 

The detective confirmed that he had a history of losing vital evidence in another case that was not related to the murder investigation. The detective also said he had been suspended from his duties for 10 days. 

According to a press release from MPD, Rockingham had been an active subject of a Youth and Family Services Division missing persons case. She had been seen at a club several weeks before her body was discovered. The release said there had been reports of a woman being forced into a car. Rockingham was reported missing on Nov. 24, 2017.

Witness told police that Rockingham may have been been killed because of her involvement in several other homicide cases and trials, according to court documents. 

DC Superior Court Judge Dayna Dayson said she expects to make a ruling on the motions in Crowell’s case on Feb. 11.

This article was written by Noa Donovan