Judge Finds Probable Cause Suspect Committed Metro Murder

By Rosie Rohrer [former] - July 6, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Juveniles | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On July 6, DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein found probable cause that Keith Williams committed murder in a Metro subway shooting case.

Williams, 23, is charged with first-degree murder for his alleged involvement in the death of 17-year-old Brendan Ofori. Ofori was shot and killed in a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) train car on May 28.

According to court documents, Ofori was traveling on the Green Line between the L’Enfant Plaza stop and the Waterfront stop when he was killed, and his body was recovered at the Navy Yard Metro Station on the 300 block of M Street, SW.

The prosecution called a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective who testified that the defendant was seen on surveillance cameras entering the Metro train where Ofori’s body was found and then fleeing the scene.

The car where the murder occurred, however, did not have cameras. 

Defense attorney Anthony Matthews then questioned the detective on what actually happened inside the car. Due to the limited physical evidence, detectives relied primarily on witness testimony.

According to the detective, one eyewitness claimed that Williams shot Ofori before fleeing into another Metro car. Someone resembling Williams can be seen on surveillance footage exiting that Metro car at the Waterfront station.

Matthews argued that there is no evidence that Williams committed the shooting, and that the person seen exiting the Metro car at Waterfront station may not even be Williams.  The detective, however, testified that multiple witnesses identified Williams as the man in surveillance photos. 

Ultimately, Judge Epstein found probable cause that Williams committed the murder; however, he did not find substantial probability, which prosecutors requested.

A substantial probability finding would mean a reasonable jury would be more likely than not to convict the defendant of the crime. 

Judge Epstein also ordered that Williams continue to be held awaiting his trial, over Matthews’ objections, who argued that Williams’ youth and lack of criminal record warrants his release. 

Parties are expected to return on September 8.