The Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch is investigating the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old.
On Friday, Oct. 27, officers found Ernest Edwin Baylor, Jr. in the 2200 block of Hunter Place, SE. Baylor was taken to a local hospital for treatment and pronounced dead after all life-saving efforts failed.
Police have not yet released any suspect information.
El Hadji Alpha Madiou Toure, charged with first-degree murder and theft, is being held without bail as the case against him continues.
Toure, 28, allegedly tortured and stole thousands of dollars from Corrina Mehiel, 34, who was found dead in her apartment.
Prosecutor Jeff Nesler said that they, “continue to investigate [and he] intends to wrap up shortly.” The government plans to bring an indictment in December.
On March 21, officers arrived at Mehiel’s apartment on the 600 block of 14th St., NE. They found Mehiel’s lifeless body inside the apartment, with apparent stab wounds. Surveillance footage from her neighborhood showed a black male wearing a black shirt, black backpack, and ripped light colored jeans heading in the direction of Mehiel’s apartment building. Footage showed the black male attempting to withdraw money from an ATM using Mehiel’s bankcard, and a male wearing light colored jeans driving Mehiel’s car.
According to a detective who testified in earlier hearings, Toure had been consistently employed, and stayed at a Catholic shelter, until the day of the alleged murder on March 20.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 14.
The chart below shows the causes of death in the 363 homicides in DC between 2015-17.
Anthony Blackmone and Nathaniel Taylor attended another hearing in anticipation of their trial scheduled for next January for the murder of Nuru Frenche.
Blackmone, 21, and Taylor, 23, are charged with first-degree murder while armed. On April 23, 2016, Blackmone and Taylor allegedly planned to rob Frenche, 23, but the incident escalated and Frenche was fatally shot.
The government extended a plea offer, which was rejected by both defendants. However, Judge Lynn Leibovitz summarized that if the government, “made a [plea] offer [the defendants] liked better, it could [be accepted.]” The government said they plan to file several motions prior to the upcoming trial readiness hearing regarding witness testimonies. Details of the plea offer were not made public.
A trial readiness hearing has been set for Dec. 14.
Three men charged with the murder of Derryk Johnson, 19, are scheduled for trial in September of next year.
Marcus Martin, Marc Butler, and William Cunningham Jr. appeared in court for a status hearing where defense attorneys discussed a potential deal in the works.
Defense Attorney Dana Page on behalf of Marcus Martin stated that the defense team and the government attorney were, “in the process of negotiating something,” and that they are, “going to keep working on that process.”
Johnson, 19, and another male were found suffering from apparent gunshot wounds on Aug. 3 2016 in the 600 block of N St., NW. Both victims were taken to the hospital, where Johnson died from his injuries.
A jury trial is set to take place on Sept. 10, 2018.
The man charged with drinking, driving and striking a pedestrian is undergoing drug and alcohol treatment while the case against him continues.
David Jones, 36, is being held without bond and is facing second-degree murder, driving under the influence, and leaving after colliding charges. He is undergoing drug and alcohol treatment.
On Feb. 6, Carolyn Ellis and another pedestrian were crossing on 10th and U St., NW when a black car sped around the corner and struck Ellis at 10:45 p.m. Ellis, 65, was found unconscious, and transported to a nearby hospital where she died due to major head trauma.
Officers later located a visibly intoxicated Jones stumbling around 14th street.
A felony status conference hearing was scheduled for Nov. 7.
The police have charged a suspect in the February 2016 killing of Jamar Morris.
Stephon Marquis Williams, 24, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed on Oct. 27 for the fatal shooting that occurred on the unit Block of M St., NW.
Morris, 28, was found unconscious and suffering from a gunshot wound on Feb. 9 2016. Morris was transported to a local hospital, where lifesaving efforts failed.
Williams is being held without bail.
Khalil Davis was arrested on Oct. 26, 2018 for the alleged murder of Omar Earl Rogers.
Saquan Williams was arrested and charged with the murder of Carl Hardy on Oct. 1.
The man charged with the murder of Kassahun Abebe Edo was ordered back on high intensity supervision on Friday.
Milkiyas Bayisa allegedly fatally assaulted Edo on Aug. 22, 2015 in the 700 block of Fairmont Street, NW. During an altercation, Edo fell and hit his head on the sidewalk. He was taken to a hospital, but died the next day from his injuries.
Because of good behavior, Bayisa’s release conditions were modified in February. He was placed under the supervision of Pretrial Services, and removed from the High Intensity Supervision Program that required him to wear an ankle bracelet with GPS.
In Friday’s hearing, Judge Judith Bartnoff placed him back on high intensity supervision. According to a Pretrial Services, Bayisa had been arrested recently for a permit violation. The arrest violated the conditions of his release because he was arrested in the District of Columbia and at a time where he was supposed to be at home. He also did not turn in his work schedules, or follow the hours he agreed to.
Under the new conditions, Bayisa has to stay away from DC unless he is at work, and he must remain home between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. He has a trial readiness hearing set for Dec. 15, and his trial is currently set for Jan. 8, 2018.
A trial for the two men charged with the murder of Demetrius Medlay was scheduled for next May.
Justin Robinson and Kevin Grover are being held on charges they murdered 22-year-old Medlay. Medlay was found with gunshot wounds in the 3100 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, on Feb. 24, 2016.
Grover was charged with murder in August 2016, and Robinson was charged in July of this year. Both have been indicted and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
They are both scheduled for a status hearing on Dec. 15.
The day before the murder trial against Rashad Lamont Allen began, Allen’s attorneys continued to argue their client’s innocence.
Allen is charged with allegedly murdering David Simmons on March 15, 2015. The defendant has been held on charges for second-degree murder since April 27, 2015 when police allege Allen killed Simmons.
However, during a full-day of court where Judge Lynn Leibovitz decided motions for how the case would continue, Allen’s defense attorney April Downs and Quo Mieko Judkins continued to argue Allen was innocent.
According to Downs, witness testimony alleges the shooter involved in the murder went by the name “Hype.”
Downs argued that while Allen might answer to the name “Hype,” there are others who also go by that name. The government will call numerous witnesses to testify that Allen is “Hype,” she said.
The government countered that when someone agreed to let Allen stay in their house Allen introduced himself as “Hype” and then as “John.”
In a list of other motions, the defense and prosecutor also argued about Allen missing a court appearance.
Allen failed to show up to an unrelated court appearance after the shooting, which the government used to allege Allen’s guilt. However, the defense argued that it was not uncommon for people to not come to court appearances, especially if they’re homeless — which is why Allen was “couch surfing” after the shooting.
Judge Leibovitz said that Allen’s disappearance immediately after the murder, staying with someone and introducing himself under a different name, and failure to appear in court after the shooting is all admissible in the trial.
A jury was selected for the trial which is set to begin Tuesday and expected to end next Friday.
A fight between two friends ended in murder and now a conviction.
Eugene Burns was sentenced by Judge Hiram Puig-Lugo to 31 years in prison for killing Onyekachi Osuchukwu III in 2015.
Burns was found guilty in July 2017 of first-degree murder while armed and other weapon offenses. According to a witness at his trial, Osuchukwu was living in California but had travelled to D.C. on Nov. 14, 2015. Another witness mentioned that he and Burns had been selling drugs and were having disputes. Prosecution’s evidence showed that Burns started planning his friend’s murder after their dispute.
A government cell phone expert examined Burns’ phone and found searches including “How to kill your best friend” and “Does God forgive murderers”. He also had searched for information about cocaine, marijuana, and how it feels to murder.
On the day of his murder, Osuchukwu was lured by Burns to stay at Burns’ mother’s apartment in the 2900 block of Second Street and was shot multiple times on the living room floor. The next day, Eugene Burns, along with two relatives, returned to the apartment and supposedly “discovered” that his best friend had been killed. Burns testified at his trial that he had shot Osuchukwu out of self defense.
An investigation led to Burns’ arrest in Dec. 2015, and he has been in custody ever since. His verdict followed a trial, and he will be placed on 5 years of supervised release.
A jury has found the man charged with the 2013 murder of 4-year-old Samurai Jenkins guilty.
Jerome C. Lewis, 50, was convicted of first-degree murder with aggravating circumstances, second-degree murder, and first-degree cruelty to children on October 25. He will be sentenced on January 26, 2018 and faces a possible sentence of life without parole.
According to charging documents, Jerome Lewis watched as flames engulfed the house on the 2600 block of 33rd Street, SE with a “calm demeanor”. The government argued that Lewis set fire to his mattress in the early morning of Feb. 17 and watched as the fire spread through the house. Everyone one but little Jenkins escaped uninjured. She was rescued by fire fighters from the second floor of the house but died from her injuries two days later.
A 23-year-old Maryland man has been arrested and charged in the killing of Andre Jahmal Johnson.
Giovanti Moschino Young of Laurel, MD was charged with first-degree murder while armed.
Johnson, 42, was killed during a shooting in the 5000 block of H Street, SW on July 21, 2017.
