A Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective testified on Sept. 2 that investigators never identified an individual captured in video footage of a homicide in a trial before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz.
David Key, 39, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, felony murder while armed with the aggravating circumstance that the offense occurred during the commission of a robbery, and attempt to commit a robbery while armed. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of 33-year-old Devon Greenfield on April 1, 2024 on the 300 block of 61st Street, NE.
Greenfield died from seven sharp force injuries: three to his chest, two to the upper back, one to his lip, and one to his jaw.
The prosecution called a witness who testified about Google Nest camera footage from her home that she provided to police.
The witness said on the day of the homicide, as she worked from home, her husband noticed police outside near their home. The witness then looked outside and described that she “saw sheets over a body.”
In the videos played by prosecutors, five individuals stood on the sidewalk across the street from the witness’ house. After two individuals walked out of the frame, the victim and suspect stood face-to-face for approximately five minutes before the suspect swung at the victim.
When the offense ended, the video showed that the suspect and an individual who wore a bright orange-red jacket walked away from the scene, and the victim fell face down near the street.
In cross-examination, Key’s attorney, Howard McEachern confirmed that the witness did not observe the murder only in video footage after.
The MPD lead detective in the case testified that patrol officers had already secured the scene when he arrived. The detective said he learned through videos the direction in which the suspect fled and retrieved footage from five cameras at and near the scene.
In footage prosecutors played from the 300 block of 60th Street, NE, the suspect and individual in the bright orange-red jacket walked through the frame at approximately 6:51 p.m. on the evening of the offense. The same camera showed the two running back towards the original direction at approximately 7:09 p.m. According to court documents, the homicide occurred at approximately 7:05 p.m.
The detective testified that he never identified the individual in the bright orange-red jacket.
According to the detective, Greenfield was pronounced dead at the scene and investigators recovered his phone and wallet from his pockets. Greenfield’s wallet contained two $20 bills and two clear bags of suspected narcotics, the detective said.
A forensic chemistry expert testified that he tested two samples in the case and determined the white solid material was methamphetamine, also known as meth, and the plant-like material was marijuana.
The prosecution also called an expert in latent print analysis who testified about five evidence samples he compared to Greenfeld and Key’s known prints. The print analysis expert confirmed that all comparisons were inconclusive. However, Greenfield and Key could not be excluded as sources of the prints.
A Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) forensic scientist testified on Sept. 2 that the evidence samples were from a pair of sunglasses and a plastic water bottle found at the scene.
Key’s trial is scheduled to resume on Sept. 3.
