Defense Asks About Possible Gang Connection to 2020 Homicide

By Payton Anderson , Rohan Naval - February 8, 2024
Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Feb. 7, DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe resumed the trial of a 2020 fatal shooting case with questions raised about a possible link to a criminal gang. 

Terrell Poe, 38, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a prior convict for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Christopher Washington, 30, on Sept. 23, 2020, on the 400 block of Southern Avenue, SE.  

Prosecutors called an individual who claimed his white truck had been stolen in July 2020. The prosecution presented photographs of the truck, which he identified as his. He also identified stickers on the truck present when it was stolen. 

Prosecutors alleged that Poe stole the witness’ truck and that the vehicle was used to carry out the crime.

Prosecutors also called a detective from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), who testified about the recovery of “a phone and key fob” at the scene.

They utilized surveillance footage to corroborate the detective’s testimony. One of the videos showed the white truck at the scene of the crime, with an individual leaving the vehicle. Moments later, a shooting occurred at a bus stop next to where the truck was parked.  

“Based on the videos, we followed either the decedent or the suspect video from one location to the next,” the detective said. 

According to the detective, a compilation created with footage from local businesses presented “a fair and accurate” representation of events that day. 

A white pickup truck was spotted across different location including a convenience store and a church. The detective alleged it was the same truck that had been stolen months before the shooting.

Prosecutors say Poe first drove the vehicle from a parking lot near a church to the scene of the shooting. After the shooting, they say, Poe drove it back to the church parking lot.

During cross-examination, Poe’s defense attorney, Marnitta King, questioned the detective about a comment made by his partner in several reports about a “Duffy gang-gang crew,” a gang which is believed to congregate in the neighborhood where the crime occurred. 

Although the detective could not recall gathering information about the group, he affirmed that detectives are advised to make note of which neighborhood where crews operate.

“It could garner more investigative leads as to whether a particular crew is having a feud in that area,” the detective confirmed. 

During King’s cross-examination of the detective, he acknowledged the timing of the surveillance footage from the nearby church was slightly off. 

“If you don’t know that [the exact time], then how would you be able to place it in a timeline?” King questioned. 

To compensate, the detective said he used a witness statement from Washington’s best friend to determine how the footage fit chronologically. 

The prosecution called their next witness, a friend of Washington’s who lived across the street from the church connected to the crime scene. 

According to the witness, on the day of the incident, he, his friend, and both their daughters were in the church parking lot riding bikes. The witness said he saw Poe pull into the parking lot driving a white pick-up truck, immediately able to sense something wasn’t right. 

“He pulled in very aggressively,” the witness recalled, adding, “Being a parent, I knew something was wrong. I just got a bad vibe.”

The witness said he and his group left the parking lot to go to the gas station nearby. Returning to his apartment, the witness said he could hear a gun firing. 

“I heard some shots,” the witness said. “Not knowing it was my friend [who was shot].” 

The prosecution proceeded by presenting several text messages between the witness and a number that he believed belonged to Poe. The texts reached out to the witness after the incident saying that he had money to give him. The unknown number repeatedly used the nickname “Fat Boy,” which the witness indicated refers to Poe. 

“I only know one ‘Fat Boy’ who hangs around them,” the witness said. “It threw a red flag, and I was confused on what was going on.” 

In the days following the incident, the witness said he noticed Poe and his friends outside his apartment. The witness alleged they were “looking for (my) red BMW” to exchange the money they previously promised. 

In King’s cross-examination, she raised the witness’s criminal history along with his possible involvement in the “Duffy gang-gang crew.” King pointed to records that indicated the witness was convicted of selling drugs more than 10 years ago. However, the witness claimed he was no longer involved in drug sales and had never been involved in any “gang” in his area. 

King continued by questioning the witness’s recollection of the events that occurred on the incident date. 

The witness returned to his original testimony that said he and his daughter were in the lot together riding bikes, as footage of them shows only that he was present in the parking lot. 

King emphasized the contradictions between his testimony at trial and his prior testimony in front of the grand jury. 

“You said to the Grand Jury that you were concerned at that time because your daughter was in the lot with you and now you’re testifying that she was in the house,” King said. 

The witness reiterated that he and his daughter were riding bikes in the parking lot that day, and the exact timing of each event was no longer as clear in his mind as it was when he testified before the grand jury.

“That video [his original testimony] was right after the crime,” the witness said. “Now it’s been years since it happened.” 

Due to time constraints, King did not get to conclude her cross-examination of the witness. 

Parties are slated to return on Feb. 8.