Judge Sentences Convicted Murderers to 40 Years in Prison

By D.C. Witness Staff - October 9, 2018
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

Three murder defendants received decades-long sentences for their roles in the fatal stabbing of a man in the northeast quadrant of the District of Columbia.

Co-defendants Charles McRae, Willie Glover, and Joseph Barbour were convicted of felony murder while armed under aggravated circumstances for their roles in robbing and stabbing 50-year-old Lenard Wills in an apartment on the 700 block of 24th Street, NE in 2015.

Barbour, 38, received 40 years in prison, while Glover, 40, was sentenced to 38 years and McRae, 66, was sentenced to 38 and a half years. Following their release, Barbour, McRae, and Glover are required to serve five years on supervised release.

“When you took a life, you didn’t bring one back,” Wills’ mother told the court during her impact statement. “I pray for you all and your family.” She said that the crime was done because of greed, jealousy, and hatred and that she wanted the men to get the maximum sentence allowed.

The trio was also convicted of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, burglary one while armed, attempt to commit robbery while armed, assault with intent to commit robbery while armed, and assault with a dangerous weapon, simple assault and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction.

“The last thing I said to my dad was ‘I’ll talk to you tomorrow,’ but tomorrow never came for him,” Wills’ daughter told the judge.

According to court documents, a witness said the decedent had an argument with McRae prior to the homicide. Soon after the argument, a witness saw the suspects enter and subsequently hit the decedent with their guns. A medical examiner confirmed the cause of Wills’ death was multiple stab wounds to the torso. The examiner also found blunt-force injuries on Wills’ head and face.