Judge Finds Substantial Probability 3 Defendants were Involved in Girl’s Murder

By D.C. Witness Staff - January 11, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

Three of the seven defendants charged with the death of a 10-year-old girl were found to have substantial probability for committing the crime, according to a DC Superior Court judge.

Darrise Jeffers, Marquell Cobbs and Mark Tee Price are charged with first-degree murder while armed for their alleged involvement in the shooting death of Makiyah Wilson on the 300 block of 53rd Street, NE on July 16, 2018. Cobbs, who was 16 at the time of arrest, is the only juvenile defendant in the case. He is being charged as an adult.

Judge Crag Iscoe said, after reviewing each defendants’ cases, there was substantial probability that they were involved in planning, conducting and covering up the crime.

According to court documents, during the evening hours, four masked males dressed in black hoodies wearing white gloves, exited a black Infinity and began shooting. Wilson was getting ice cream in the area at the time.

Judge Iscoe said, regardless of whether the defendants were actually one of the shooters, it is apparent that each defendant knew about the shooting before it happened.

During a preliminary hearing on Jan. 8, the prosecution showed surveillance video of the defendants outside of an apartment building on the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road, SE. Through the video, the prosecution was able to establish a theory that the defendants planned and spoke with one another shortly before the shooting. Direct messages and photos from an iCould account corroborated the theory.

The prosecution’s evidence included text messages of purchasing and storing guns and a photo of guns. The police, along with the prosecution, were able to establish that Cobbs and Jeffers, who were not at the scene of the shooting, aided the shooters by collecting guns days before the crime and storing them after. As of Jan. 10, police have not recovered any of the weapons used in the shooting.

According to the police, the shooting seemed to stem from a neighborhood beef between Wellington Park, the area where Pomeroy Road is located and Clay Terrace, the area of the shooting.

However, the defense claimed that the prosecution’s evidence was speculative in nature. According to the evidence, Price, 24, got into a silver BMW, with individuals wearing black hoodies and white gloves. The prosecution’s theory is that Price assisted the shooters by driving them to an area to get into the Black Infinity to carryout the shooting. However, a switch was not captured on video.

According to a sergeant from the Metropolitan Police Department, Jeffers, 19, and Cobbs, who were seen on footage outside of the Pomeroy Road location, became suspects because they seemed to be involved in the planning process. According to police, Jeffers was suspected after he was seen handing the suspected shooters white tennis shoes when they were in the silver BMW.

The prosecution argued that Jeffers knew the shooting was going to take place when he spoke with the suspects, who were dressed in black hoodies and white gloves — on a hot summer day —  as they left the apartment building on Pomeroy Road. According to the prosecution’s Jeffers’ reaction-less interaction indicated that he knew about and helped plan the shooting.

Cobbs became a suspect because of messages that stated he was looking to purchase a gun days before the shooting. Judge Iscoe said that even though Cobbs inquired about purchasing a Smith and Wesson handgun, which was not one of the weapons used in the crime, his inquiry seemed to be part of the initial planning process.

The judge said that he could not determine if Price was a shooter or just helped. Price, who is also charged with another murder in an unrelated case, apparently became a suspect when an inmate told authorities that Price told him that he was involved in the shooting.

Price, Cobbs and Jeffers are scheduled, along with Quentin Michals, 21; Gregory Taylor, 23; and Qujuan Thomas, 20, for a felony status conference on Feb. 1. All defendants are pending a hearing before a grand jury and are being held without bond. Quanisha L. Ramsuer is charged with obstruction of justice in the case. She is also scheduled for a felony status conference on Feb. 1. Ramsuer, 25, has been released on personal recognizance under the High Intensity Supervision Program.