Mass Shooting Defendant Waives His Right to DNA Testing

By Natalie Note , Varshana Ramnarine - October 21, 2024
Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

A mass shooting defendant waived his right to independent DNA testing on evidence recovered in front of DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun on Oct. 18.

William Johnson-Lee, 21, Erwin Dubose, 30, Kamar Queen, 27, and Damonta Thompson, 21, are four of six individuals charged with conspiracy, first-degree murder while armed, and assault with intent to kill, among other charges, for their involvement in the mass shooting that claimed the lives of 31-year-old Donnetta Dyson, 24-year-old Keenan Baxter, and 37-year-old Johnny Joyner.  

The incident occurred on the 600 block of Longfellow Street, NW on Sept. 4, 2021, and left three others suffering from injuries. 

Toyia Johnson, 52, and Mussay Rezene, 31, are charged with accessory after the fact and tampering with physical evidence for their alleged involvement in assisting the other defendants get rid of evidence and avoid getting caught in connection to the case. 

At the hearing, the prosecution told the court that they had completed two rounds of DNA testing, including cars and water bottles, that closely matched Rezene’s genetic profile. Johnson-Lee’s attorney, Peter Fayne, alerted the court that Johnson-Lee planned on waiving his right to independently test the DNA evidence recovered.

Also at the hearing, the prosecution alerted the court that Rezene still had an outstanding motion to sever his case from the rest of his co-defendants. Judge Okun was unwilling to set a status hearing date to address the matter pending a review of supplemental documents from the defense regarding the motion and the prosecution’s response. 

Judge Okun set a deadline of Nov. 4 for the defense to submit supplemental documents and a deadline of Nov. 18 for the prosecution to respond to the motion. 

All parties are slated to reconvene on Feb. 7.