A lead detective testified about a homicide investigation before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on Feb. 27 with vigorous rebuttal from the suspect’s defense lawyer.
Niwatilagu Long, 45, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 44-year-old Melvin Saunders on Dec. 19, 2025 on the 1000 block of North Capitol Street, NE.
According to the lead detective, officers located Saunders suffering from a gunshot wound to the face on the couch in an apartment’s “unkept and untidy” living room.
The detective testified that surveillance footage captured an individual, who he identified as Long, entering the apartment building wearing white and gray camo pants, giving his identification card to the receptionist, and going up the elevator to the 14th floor – where the incident occurred.
Witnesses told the detective and his squad that there was a group of people smoking crack cocaine and drinking in the apartment leading up to the shooting. According to the detective, one of the witnesses stated they were passing around a gun, which he claimed was late used by Long to shoot Saunders later.
The detective stated the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) doesn’t know the exact timing of the shooting, but testified that based on surveillance footage and witness statements they suspect it happened around 1:34 a. m. One of the witnesses told officers that he followed Long out of the building, before he watched him remove his camo pants near Lincoln Road and T Street, NE.
According to the detective, the witness alerted a patrol officer about the distinct pants and the shooting, and MPD responded.
The detective also told Judge Brandt about a witness, who claimed they had been friends with Long for more than 20 years, that stated Long told him he “messed up and shot someone.”
The statement by the witness came after being interviewed about an other case in which Long is alleged to have pistol whipped another person. Long was arrested in connection to Saunders’ murder after he was already in custody for the previous offense.
Kevin Mosley, Long’s attorney, questioned the detective if Long’s friend identified who Long claimed he shot. According to the detective, the friend only stated the defendant told him he had shot someone.
The detective testified the friend talked to police so Long could get the help the friend believed he needed due to prior substance abuse issues.
Mosley also highlighted one of the witness’ alleged false statements to police, claiming the witness who followed Long out of the building after the shooting lied to police. According to Mosley, the witness said he didn’t know Long and lied about how long they had been acquainted.
Mosley claimed that MPD did not thoroughly investigate the murder, arguing they failed to ask witnesses how much crack cocaine and alcohol they had consumed, nor investigating multiple people that went in-and-out of the apartment between the time Long left the scene and officers responded.
“None of those people bothered to call 911,” Mosley said, despite Saunders’ lifeless body being in the living room of the tiny apartment.
Due to time constraints, the detective was unable to conclude his testimony.
Parties are slated to reconvene March 11.
