Missing Eyewitness Testifies in Murder Trial

By D.C. Witness Staff - February 5, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

An eyewitness in a murder trial, who failed to appear in court and deemed missing for several days, finally testified Feb. 4 after court marshals apprehended her on a bench warrant. 

Saeve Evans is charged with first-degree murder while armed, two gun related offenses and obstruction of justice for allegedly shooting 16-year-old Breyona McMillian on the 1200 block of I Street, SE in 2016. Apparently, the witness was within feet of McMillian when she was shot.

The witness, who was McMillian’s friend, said she was smoking marijuana with both McMillian and Evans, 32, in a parking lot while she was waiting for another friend to pick her up. She said she was walking to her friend’s car when she heard gunshots, a pause and then more shots.

“I put my hands on my ears, closed my eyes, and ducked,” she said. “I stood like that until it was completely over. (McMillian) was laying on the ground. I never saw her get hit.”

The witness said she confronted Evans after the shots ended. She said he looked scared. The witness said she asked Evans if he shot McMillian. She said Evans said, “No, they did that.”

The witness told jurors that she was scared to testify because she felt pressured for answers she didn’t have. The witness said she felt like law enforcement and prosecutors treated her like a suspect. 

“That lady thinks I saw something,” the witness said, referring to the prosecution. “I don’t know what she thinks I saw.”

The witness also told the jury that she was not afraid of Evans.

According to the defense, Evans shot at a black vehicle in self-defense. The defense says there was a shooter inside the vehicle and that the shooter struck McMillian.

But, the prosecution said there was no other shooter and that Evans shot McMillian.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Feb. 5.