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By
Namita Nair [former]
, Richa Sharma [former] - June 24, 2024
Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Shooting
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Suspects
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Victims
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On June 20, prosecutors brought forth a key witness to testify about his business with a double homicide defendant during a trial presided over by DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keef.
Beysean Jones, 29, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill while armed for his alleged involvement in the shootings of Ronald Brown, 19, and Tijuan Wilson, 41. The incident occurred on July 27, 2022, on the 4300 block of 4th Street, SE. Wilson’s wife sustained gunshot wounds during the incident but survived.
An acquaintance of Jones said the defendant had been regularly selling marijuana and guns out of the southeast quadrant of DC, prior to the shooting.
Having met Jones in February of 2022, the witness testified that they quickly became business associates in selling marijuana, adding that he would buy marijuana from Jones and resell it at a higher price. The witness said he only knew as “Chad,” the alias Jones gave when they were introduced.
The witness recounted learning of a drive-by shooting that occurred in July 2022, where Chad was shot at with his wife and children in the car. After the shooting, the witness testified that Chad said he was “equipping” himself for what the witness assumed was retaliation.
According to the witness, on July 27, 2022, he met Chad at an apartment complex to pick up half a pound of marijuana that he was planning to sell. Chad presented the witness with a duffel bag of guns, including an AR-15, ghost guns, and a .38-caliber pistol.
The witness said Jones offered one of the guns to him.
After declining the weapons, the witness said he retrieved the marijuana and left. Later that night, he learned of a shooting that occurred on the 4300 block of 4th Street, SE, which was down the street from the apartment where he met Chad.
Several days later, the witness testified, he reached out to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to leave an anonymous tip regarding the interactions he had with Chad.
According to the witness, he was worried he might be implicated in the crime, as he had held the AR-15 Chad had shown them.
“I just got home, I don’t wanna go back,” the witness stated about his fear, referring to his previously served prison time.
Court is set to reconvene on June 24.