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By
Richa Sharma [former]
- August 9, 2024
Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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Suspects
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Victims
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A homicide detective testified about his investigation of events leading up to and following a mass shooting and homicide before DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun on Aug. 8.
Mark Price, 29, and Antonio Murchison, 31, are charged with first-degree murder while armed, five counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, seven counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, conspiracy, and seven counts of criminal gang affiliation.
The charges stem from their alleged involvement into a July 16, 2018 incident on the 5300 block of 53rd Street, NE in the Clay Terrace neighborhood. The highly publicized crime left 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson dead and four other individuals with gunshot wounds.
Price is also charged with first-degree murder while armed, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, threat to injure or kidnap a person, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict and first-degree burglary while armed. These charges are connected to the fatal shooting of 47-year-old Andre Hakim Young on July 30, 2018, on the 1500 block of 19th Street, NE.
The third co-defendant, Quanisha Ramsuer, 31, is charged with obstruction of justice in connection to the homicide.
Six other defendants were convicted in 2023 of charges related to the incident, including:
- Marquell Cobbs, 22 – sentenced to serve six years in prison
- Quentin Michals, 27 – sentenced to serve 40 years in prison
- Gregory Taylor, 28 – sentenced to serve 65 years in prison
- Qujuan Thomas, 25– sentenced to 68 years in prison
- Darrise Jeffers, 24 – sentenced to serve 35 years in prison
- Isaiah Murchison, 24 – sentenced to serve 60 years in prison
During the hearing, prosecutors displayed several compilations of surveillance footage from the evening of the mass shooting. Most focused on an apartment on the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road, SE, in the Wellington Park neighborhood a few miles away from the crime scene.
Police believe a rivalry between crews in the two neighborhoods may have precipitated the attack.
The detective identified numerous individuals entering, exiting and standing outside the building over several hours, including Price and Murchison. Two vehicles are visible in the footage — a silver BMW, and a carjacked black Infiniti, which was identified as the suspect vehicle used in the mass shooting.
The footage shows both cars pulling out of the parking lot together, after six individuals, who prosecutors claim are Price, Taylor, Isaiah and Antonio, Thomas, and Michals get inside. According to the detective, only Michals returned in the silver BMW several minutes later, while Cobbs and Jeffers were identified sitting at a picnic table outside an apartment.
In his testimony, the detective highlighted that between 7:35 p.m. and 8:18 p.m. on July 16, 2018, he did not identify Price, Antonio and Isaiah Murchison, Taylor or Thomas on any surveillance footage at the apartment complex.
Prosecutors then showed footage of four individuals jumping out of the black Infiniti firing shots in the Clay Terrace neighborhood. They jump back in and the car quickly drives away.
The detective testified that he attempted to locate CCTV or District Department of Transportation (DDOT) footage of the black Infiniti after the shooting, but was unable to find any. He created a possible route the vehicle could take from Clay Terrace back to Wellington Park, along I-295 where there were no cameras. The detective corroborated this by obtaining cell-site records, of a phone number he connected with Price, that hit a cell tower along the suspected route at Benning Road.
The prosecutors showed subsequent surveillance footage at the 2500 block of Elvans Road providing initial access to the Wellington Park parking lot. A black vehicle could be seen driving past. The black Infiniti did not return to Pomeroy Road, and the detective testified that one can travel by foot along a path from the apartment complex on Elvans Road, down to Pomeroy Road. No cameras surveilled this route in 2018.
At 8:18 p.m., the individual identified as Price returned to the apartment building. The detective also identified Antonio Murchison, Michals, Cobbs, Jeffers, Ramsuer, and several others in the parking lot.
The prosecution showed Instagram videos from that date, between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. of the individuals dancing and singing in the parking lot. They can be heard saying: “We the real reason the murder rate high … we just want a homicide.”
According to the detective, the black Infiniti was dumped on the 3200 block of Burton Court, in Temple Hills, MD, which the detective testified can be reached from Wellington Park without being detected on CCTV cameras, by taking Suitland Parkway.
He also reviewed several jail calls and visitation videos with Quincy Garvin, who was part of the Wellington Park Crew and convicted of a homicide, where a “terrorist attack” is mentioned. On a call between him and Thomas on July 20, 2018, Garvin said: “I heard they found the airplane.” In his testimony, the detective confirmed the black Infiniti had been recovered by that date.
The prosecution wrapped up its case and defense counsel is expected to call several witnesses before closing statements begin.
Parties are slated to return on Aug. 12.