Half of D.C. homicide cases remain without an arrest

By D.C. Witness Staff - May 12, 2016
Featured | Homicides |

No suspects have been arrested in more than half of the district’s homicides in 2016, according to statistics kept by this website.

In 2016, of the 41 victims of a homicide, arrests have been made in 19. That goes against a report Wednesday night, attributing stats to Chief Cathy Lanier reporting 75 percent of all cases have been closed with an arrest.

“So far in the District, Lanier said 75 percent of homicide cases this year have been closed with an arrest. Also, more than half of the 40 homicides that have happened in 2016 have occurred on the other side of the river,” the report said.

Department Spokesman Dustin Sternbeck clarified Thursday that the there have not been arrests made in 30 of the 40 homicide cases, but that police have either made an arrest, know of a suspect, or are closing in on a suspect in 73 percent of cases, which allow them to deem it closed.

“We know who they are, we may just be strengthening our case,” Sternbeck said. The specifics of what allow a case to be marked “closed” can be found on the MPD website.