Man Sentenced for Accessory to Murder

By Tory Lysik [former] - February 24, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced Elton Wiggins for accessory to murder two years after 34-year-old Eugene Isaac, Jr. was shot dead in a residential part of Truxton Circle.

Three defendants- 55-year-old Wiggins, 36-year-old Devon Stephens and 38-year-old Lejeevan Toudle were initially charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with Isaac’s death. A judge dismissed the case against Toudle after ruling it did not have enough evidence to go to trial. Stephens’ case remains open. Wiggins pleaded down to accessory after the fact to second-degree murder while armed and was sentenced to seven years in prison on Feb. 24.

“Why is there no mention it was done right outside of a school in broad daylight,” one of Isaac’s family members said during the proceedings. Wiggins and others were attempting to rob Isaac while he was sitting in his car on the 100 block of N Street, NW, on Feb. 15, 2020.

Issac’s mother, who was heavily involved in the case, recently passed away but family relayed that she would have been present for the sentencing. Multiple members of Isaac’s family advocated for a longer sentence. They voiced concerns over Wiggins’ capacity for rehabilitation.

“His life meant more- and means more than eight years,” Issac’s cousin said.

Parties agreed to recommend a prison sentence in the five to eight-year range for the accessory charge. Wiggins’ plea deal also addressed a District Court case, in which he agreed to plead guilty to using, carrying, possessing and brandishing a firearm. Parties agreed to recommend a seven-year sentence for that charge, to be served consecutively to the accessory charge.

Defense attorney Elizabeth Weller said her client has shown remorse for his actions and specifically wants to be incarcerated at least 100 miles away from Washington, DC.

“He has stepped up and tried to make right what he did, which is limited, but he still did,” Weller said.

Wiggins has spent the majority of his life incarcerated, with his first offense taking place when he was a young adult in 1985. He has served time for theft and multiple armed robberies. The defendant was on probation for robbery at the time of the homicide.

“He has been given many opportunities to address some of the behavior that has been conducted in his criminal history,” the prosecutor said, asking Judge Marisa Demeo to impose an eight-year sentence.

Wiggins took the opportunity to speak during his sentencing. He said he was not proud of what he has done in life, but did not go into the robbery with the expectation that someone would die.

“I can only imagine what the family thinks,” he said. “I’m guilty for what I’ve done. Guilty.”

Judge Demeo said the sentence was one that was difficult to come to, especially with the number of factors at play. Accessory to murder is not a gun offense, according to DC code, so that played a part in the sentence.

“While there’s no way to emotionally explain that to family members, the court has to look at the facts as they are being presented,” Judge Demeo said. “They probably feel like I cannot truly understand.”