Judge Schedules Hearing for Murder Defendant

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On Sept. 8, a DC Superior Court judge scheduled a hearing to determine if a murder case has enough evidence to go to trial. 

Cory Brown is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting his girlfriend, 40-year-old Latasha Estep, with a crossbow on Aug. 8.

According to court documents, a witness saw Brown, 39, outside of the victim’s apartment holding a knife, with a reddish brown stain on his shirt.  Responding Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers entered the victim’s apartment on the 3000 block of Stanton Road, SE for a welfare check. There, they found Estep unconscious and unresponsive with multiple puncture wounds. She was pronounced dead on the scene. 

A witness told officers that the defendant had been using the victim’s car. After searching the car, officers found a smaller pistol grip style crossbow. Officers knew that Brown had been arrested for domestic violence involving the victim in the past.

Brown is currently being held at DC Jail. According to a press release, he was under the supervision of the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) for a domestic violence-related assault at the time of his arrest. 

Judge Ronna Beck scheduled Brown’s preliminary hearing for Sept. 18.