Lead Detective Says He Didn’t Investigate Tips in Homicide Case

By Adriana Marroquin - May 8, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Juveniles | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

In a juvenile trial, a homicide detective told DC Superior Court Judge James Crowell that, although he received tips about the case, he did not investigate them. Defense lawyers believe the information is exculpatory.

The juvenile, a 16-year-old boy, is charged with first-and-second-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to kill, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, and possession of ammunition for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Jihad Darden. The incident occurred on Dec. 18, 2023, on the 5400 block of Illinois Avenue, NW. 

On May 7, prosecutors recalled the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) lead detective to discuss his involvement in the investigation that led to the boy’s arrest. 

According to the detective, MPD was able to follow the suspect’s flightpath before and after the shooting through numerous surveillance cameras in the area. Prosecutors displayed multiple videos in which the detective was able to identify a person as the suspect fleeing the area, before arriving at an apartment which the juvenile is alleged to have frequented on the 1300 block of Missouri Avenue, NW. 

The detective testified that, once the suspect arrived at the apartment, he removed the distinct red and white Jordan sneakers, before ordering an Uber rideshare to his home in Bowie, MD. However, the detective later found out that the Uber had been ordered via a friend’s account. 

A search warrant was executed at the 1300 block of Missouri Avenue and at a home in Bowie, MD. According to the detective, the red and white sneakers were recovered from the Missouri Avenue apartment, and the rest of the suspect’s clothes and backpack were recovered from the Bowie address. 

However, no weapon was ever recovered. 

As per the detective, they were able to identify the defendant as the shooter based on statements made by his friend’s grandmother and one of two tipsters. 

The first tipster, who knows the defendant and his family well, testified that she called MPD when she received text messages and phone calls from the defendant’s older brother confessing to his involvement in Darden’s murder. 

The witness told Amanda Epstein and Matt Besman, the defendant’s attorneys, that she had come forward with the information “mainly because of a heavy heart, karma, knowing he took part in it… [he] had no regard about it.”

However, prosecutors argued her information was hearsay because it was not something she figured out on her own, but rather something the defendant’s brother told her. 

In spite of the tip, and the witness providing MPD verification of the messages, the defendant’s brother was not investigated or identified as a suspect, according to the detective. 

The other tip MPD received named the defendant as the shooter, but he was identified by a nickname, not his full name. According to the detective, this led MPD to question the defendant’s associates and friends about monikers. This tipster also told MPD that the defendant’s brother and Darden had “beef,” although the reason wasn’t clear. 

Besman and Epstein filed a motion for a judgment of acquittal, stating that the prosecution had failed to provide evidence that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was the perpetrator, arguing the prosecution failed to prove the act was deliberate and premeditated. 

However, Judge Crowell denied the motion, stating that, if the juvenile is the shooter, under the District’s law “bringing the firearm is premeditation enough.”

“He didn’t shoot Jihad Darden, he didn’t kill Jihad Darden, he’s never met Jihad Darden… [the defendant] is innocent,” insisted Besman before Judge Crowell. 

“They don’t have a bad relationship because they had no relationship,” he added, stating “[the defendant] makes no sense as a suspect.” 

The juvenile asserted his right to not testify before the court. 

Parties are slated to return May 8.