Homicide Suspect, ‘Turned That Apartment Into a War Zone, Says Prosecutor

By Birchard Allen IV , Namita Nair - June 14, 2024
Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

Parties delivered opening statements in a homicide trial before a jury in DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe’s courtroom on June 12.  

Beysean Jones, 29, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed for his alleged involvement in the fatal shootings of Ronald Brown, 19, and Tijuan Wilson, 41. The incident occurred on July 27, 2022 on the 4300 block of 4th Street, SE. Another victim sustained gunshot wounds during the incident, but survived. 

Prosecutors allege that Jones killed Brown and Wilson in retaliation for a shooting that occurred five days prior. They argue that on July 22, 2022 Brown and Jones got into an argument at a local tobacco shop. After the altercation Jones followed Brown while he picked up family members. 

The prosecution suggested that after picking up family in the 4300 block of Livingston Street, SE shots were fired at Jones’ car without injury. 

However, Charles Murdter, Jones’ defense attorney, argued that there is no evidence nor eyewitnesses that connect Jones to the shooting on July 27. Jones was also unaware of any reason or person behind the shooting on July 22 according to his attorney. 

Prosecutors began their case in chief by bringing the victim’s family members to the stand, providing a glimpse of the victims were before they were killed.

Ronald Brown was a 19-year-old high school student and had plans to be an electrician.

Tijuan Wilson was an innocent bystander. He was standing outside of his car with his brother and wife when he was hit.

ShotSpotter reports indicate gunfire at 7:56 PM on July 22, with police arriving shortly after at 4300 block of Livingston Street, SE. Nine total bullet casings and one bullet fragment were recovered. When police showed up Jones was nowhere to be seen.

The prosecution went on to say that Jones, “Turned that apartment into a war zone.”

Video footage showed a car that prosecutors allege as Brown’s passing by Jones’ vehicle.

Although the shooting was not depicted in the surveillance footage, the timestamp of the cars passing each other on the footage approximately matches the time when ShotSpotter’s alerts were issued. Bullet casings were recovered from an area that matches the location of the passing of cars in the footage. All the rounds were shot from a .40 caliber gun.

The prosecution also presented Jones’ girlfriend and her mother, who confirmed that one of the cars in the video footage of the shooting scene was one that Jones drove. They also stated there was damage to the back left bumper of the car that was present prior to the July 22 shooting as well as bullet hole damage in the bumper. 

Jones’ girlfriend’s mother testified letting Jones borrow her car, which was identified as the car from surveillance footage both at the tobacco shop and on security footage for 4300 block of Livingston Street, SE. 

Trial is to resume on June 13.