More Witnesses Testify  in 2020 Murder Trial

By D.C. Witness Staff - September 19, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Sept. 18, attorneys questioned witnesses in a 2020 homicide trial in front of DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe.

Ravel Mills, 29 is charged with first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license for his alleged involvement in the murder of 28-year-old Toussaunt Strong. The incident took place on the 3400 block of 24th St, SE, on April 18, 2020. 

A witness that appeared Sept. 14 continued their testimony. . 

She is a friend of Mills who lived near Strong’s father. She mentioned a beef that had happened in the neighborhood, years before she met Mills. 

The beef was between Mills and a man with dreads who lived next door. She said that the years-long beef was unsettled, and that Mills had punched the man and shot at him. The man with the dreads is alleged to be Strong. 

A forensic examiner appeared as an expert witness in court. He did ballistics testing in order to match the bullet casings to the weapon that fired them. 

It was determined that a Smith and Wesson was the weapon that fired the rounds that killed Strong. The gun was found in an unrelated car in Maryland in May of 2020, a month after the murder.

A forensic scientist who extracts data from cell phones associated with crimes was questioned in court. YouTube searches from a phone associated with Mills were shown to the jury. The searches included key words such as, ‘homicide’, ‘on camera’, and ‘Savannah’. 

According to the forensic scientist, Savannah is relevant because it is a street adjacent to where the murder took place.

Trial is slated to continue Sept. 19.