DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz ruled that there is probable cause that a defendant was a perpetrator in a homicide and may have practically dismembered the victim during a hearing on Sept. 11.
Tiffany Taylor-Gray, 23, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for her alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of Fasil Teklemariam, 53, on April 5, 2024, on the 1300 block of Peabody Street NW.
Tommy Whack, 35, and Audrey Miller, 20, are also charged in connection to the incident.
During the hearing, the lead detective from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) testified in regards to the affidavit, arrest warrant, and some of the evidence in the case, which is still in review.
He testified that the case involved a robbery as well as the homicide, as the defendants were allegedly seen leaving an apartment building with bags and items allegedly taken from Teklemariam’s apartment. They were allegedly discovered in Gray’s apartment. however, the defense contended that there was no way to verify whether those items were stolen or when they were taken to Gray’s apartment.
Defense attorney Eduardo Blazer argued that much of the testimony regarding the whereabouts of the defendants at the time of the incident was speculation based on co-defendant Miller’s testimony and there was no video evidence to back it up.
The detective said one of two witnesses saw two of the defendants getting into the elevator and going to the floor of the victim’s apartment, though the witness did not see them entering the apartment.
The other witness reached out to police after overhearing Taylor-Gray’s allegedly discussing the murder over the phone with co-defendant Whack. This witness also reportedly saw Taylor-Gray with Teklemariam’s phone, using the thumb that had been cut off the victim’s hand to get into the device. This is the same phone that the detective had tracked but it has not been recovered.
The prosecution presented two phone calls as evidence, which the detective testified were between Taylor-Gray and Wells Fargo, regarding Teklemariam’s bank account. One of the calls was made in the time after his last sighting and before the body was discovered.
According to the officer, witnesses stated Miller was seen with Teklemariam on the night of April 1, the night the murder is believed to have taken place.
The defense asked if it was possible that the homicide could have happened at this time—the detective said that a conversation he had with Miller after her arrest suggested that the murder did not occur until after the other two defendants arrived on the night of April 1.
According to the detective, Miller had also said she had given Teklemariam pills that she allegedly got fromTaylor-Gray, which were intended to make him drowsy.
Judge Kravitz found probable cause in the warrant and supplemental testimony provided by the detective. He ordered that Taylor-Gray remain held without bond.
The prosecution noted that they would like to make a plea offer for all three defendants before the next hearing and would be speaking to the defense attorneys regarding it.
The parties are slated to reconvene on Sept. 23.
