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By
D.C. Witness Staff
- October 30, 2017
Homicides
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Suspects
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Victims
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A fight between two friends ended in murder and now a conviction.
Eugene Burns was sentenced by Judge Hiram Puig-Lugo to 31 years in prison for killing Onyekachi Osuchukwu III in 2015.
Burns was found guilty in July 2017 of first-degree murder while armed and other weapon offenses. According to a witness at his trial, Osuchukwu was living in California but had travelled to D.C. on Nov. 14, 2015. Another witness mentioned that he and Burns had been selling drugs and were having disputes. Prosecution’s evidence showed that Burns started planning his friend’s murder after their dispute.
A government cell phone expert examined Burns’ phone and found searches including “How to kill your best friend” and “Does God forgive murderers”. He also had searched for information about cocaine, marijuana, and how it feels to murder.
On the day of his murder, Osuchukwu was lured by Burns to stay at Burns’ mother’s apartment in the 2900 block of Second Street and was shot multiple times on the living room floor. The next day, Eugene Burns, along with two relatives, returned to the apartment and supposedly “discovered” that his best friend had been killed. Burns testified at his trial that he had shot Osuchukwu out of self defense.
An investigation led to Burns’ arrest in Dec. 2015, and he has been in custody ever since. His verdict followed a trial, and he will be placed on 5 years of supervised release.