Judge Finds Probable Cause in Case of 3 Teen Murder Defendants

By D.C. Witness Staff - March 23, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Juveniles | Shooting | Victims |

A DC Superior Court judge found that a murder case with three teenage defendants has enough evidence to go to trial after a three-day preliminary hearing. 

The co-defendants, 17-year-old Nelfy Hernandez, 16-year-old Trey Prillerman and 19-year-old Deandre Levy, are charged with first-degree murder while armed for their alleged roles in the death of 17-year-old Taijhon Wyatt, Jr.

The three are accused of shooting into a crowd of juveniles from inside of a vehicle on the 5500 block of 9th Street, NW on Aug. 10, 2020. 

During the March 23 hearing, Judge Danya Dayson found that, based on video surveillance evidence, witness reports and a time-stamped speeding ticket, the Toyota Corolla recovered by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) was likely the vehicle used in the shooting. 

MPD officers say that the car was unique due to missing hubcaps on the passenger side. The department said the car was stolen from an Uber Eats driver shortly before the shooting. 

Instagram and text messages placed Hernandez and Prillerman together at the time the vehicle was stolen. Levy was not present for the theft. 

Judge Dayson found probable cause that all of the defendants were in the vehicle at the time of the shooting based on cell phone data and phone records that place them in the neighborhood at the time of the crime and witness accounts. 

In addition, Dayson found that a witness’s testimony, which identified the defendants as being on the scene of the crime, was credible despite the defense questioning the witness’s reliability. 

During a previous hearing, defense attorney Elizabeth Weller said she believed the witness could be changing their story to reduce charges pending against them. 

According to Judge Dayson, the motive to incriminate the defendants in an attempt to reduce the witness’s own charges is not present in this case. 

GPS data also placed the witness in the car with Prillerman prior to the homicide, according to court documents.

Based on the nature of the offense, the access to guns in the community and the discussion of guns beforehand via text, the judge did not find that any conditions of release would assure the community’s safety.

The defense argued that the teenagers, who are being tried as adults, should be able to await trial at their homes under confinement orders and GPS supervision.

However, outstanding arrest warrants in Prince Georges County and Montgomery County, Md. from previous juvenile offenses make Hernandez and Levy ineligible for home detention. 

The defendants’ next hearing is scheduled for March 31. 

McKenzie Beard wrote this article.