Document: MPD Seeking Person of Interest in Northeast Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a person in connection to a homicide that occurred on June 7, on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of the sounds of gunshots. When they arrived, they located an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot injuries. He was transported to a local hospital, where he died.

The victim was identified as 45-year-old Darryl Williams.

A person of interest was captured by a nearby surveillance camera.

MPD offers a reward to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for each homicide in the District.

Document: MPD Searching for Southwest Shooting Suspect

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a suspect who shot a man on June 6 on the 4600 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SW.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting. There, they located an adult male with gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The suspect was captured by surveillance footage.

Document: MPD Arrests Man for an Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of an individual in connection to a shooting that occurred on May 11, inside of a residence on the 300 block of Anacostia Road, SE.

According to MPD documents, the suspect, who was inside of the residence, was arguing with the victims who were outside of the residence. During the argument, the suspect brandished a gun and shot at the victims, without striking them. The victims fled the scene.

On Jun 6, 22-year-old Dayquan Henderson was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon. The investigation determined that the victims and suspects were known to each other.

Document: MPD Arrests Suspect in Southeast Armed Carjacking

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of a man in connection to an armed carjacking that occurred on June 7 on the 200 block of Tingey Street, SE.

According to MPD documents, the suspect assaulted the victim in a parking garage at the location, before taking the victim’s keys. The suspect then fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. A short time later, officers located the suspect and the vehicle in Northeast. The suspect was arrested.

Raymond Davese, 28, was arrested and charged with armed carjacking and driving under the influence.

Document: MPD Arrests Man for a Shooting in Northeast

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced an arrest was made in connection to a shooting that occurred on June 6 on the 5000 block of Just Street, NE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting, where they located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

On June 7, 46-year-old Bryant Jerome Russell was arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of unregistered ammunition, and felon in possession of a firearm.

The investigation revealed that the victim and the suspect were known to one another.

Document: MPD Investigating Fatal Crash Involving a Pedestrian in Northwest

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating a traffic crash that resulted in the death of a pedestrian on June 5 at the intersection of Q Street and Foxhall Road, NW.

According to MPD documents, the preliminary investigation determined that a car was waiting at a red light at the location. When the light turned green, the vehicle began turning left onto Foxhall Road before striking the pedestrian, who was in the crosswalk, causing the pedestrian to bump their head.

The striking vehicle remained on the scene and the pedestrian was transported to a local hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries. After all life-saving efforts failed, the victim succumbed to her injuries.

The victim was identified as 77-year-old Patricia Bullinger.

MPD requests that anyone with information regarding the incident reach out to them.

Defendant Pleads Not Guilty to Shooting a Mother Holding Her Baby

A defendant in a non-fatal shooting pleaded not guilty of shooting at a mother and child in a hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein on June 10.

Darrious Johnson, 22, is charged with two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly, assault with intent to kill against a minor while armed, four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, second-degree cruelty to children, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convict, for his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that occurred on May 5, 2023, on the 4500 block of Dix Street, NE.

According to court documents, Johnson allegedly shot a woman in her left arm while she was cradling her baby. The victim received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and the infant was unharmed.

In a felony arraignment hearing on June 10, Johnson and his attorney, Wole Falodun, pleaded not guilty to all charges, and asserted Johnson’s constitutional rights, including the right to a speedy trial.

Parties are slated to return July 12.

Shooting Defendant Accepts Plea Deal

A shooting defendant accepted a plea deal extended by prosecutors before DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe on June 10.

Scotland Alston, 33, was originally charged with assault with intent to kill while armed for his involvement in a shooting that occurred on Feb. 28, on the 2000 block of Benning Road, NE.

According to court documents, Alston allegedly shot a woman in the chest, both legs, and buttocks.

An individual, later identified as Alston, got into an altercation with the victim in front of Benning Market, according to prosecutors. This led to Alston’s pushing the victim into a wall and fleeing the scene by bicycle. Alston then returned to the victim who was still arguing with him, then allegedly shooting her multiple times.

During the hearing, Wole Falodun, Alston’s defense attorney, alerted the court he was accepting a plea deal, which required him to plead guilty to aggravated assault while armed, in exchange for the prosecution not seeking an indictment.

Parties are slated to reconvene Aug. 9 for sentencing.

Judge Orders a Third Mental Health Evaluation for Stabbing Defendant

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo ordered a third competency evaluation by the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) for a defendant allegedly involved in a stabbing incident. The ruling came in a June 10 hearing.

Stephen Herring, 24, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed and carrying a dangerous weapon outside his home or business for allegedly stabbing 30-year-old Marcus Thurman on Aug. 22, 2023 at the 100 block of M Street, NE. Thurman succumbed to his injuries on Sept. 4, 2023.

According to court documents, the defendant and Thurman were in a verbal altercation that led to the defendant stabbing the victim in the chest before fleeing the scene on foot.

At the hearing, Judge Demeo referred to a report conducted by the DBH to determine whether or not Herring would be ready to stand trial.

The report stated so far that’s not been possible.

“The inpatient setting will allow for a more comprehensive evaluation and documentation of Mr. Herring’s abilities and disabilities, which are difficult to ascertain within the setting of a time-limited interview,” said the report.

Following the DBH’s recommendations, Judge Demeo ordered Herring to a full competency evaluation in an inpatient setting at St. Elizabeths Hospital.

Defense attorney Joseph Yarbough stated he would wait to go over any potential plea offer from the prosecution until his client was deemed competent by the DBH.

The prosecution did not object to Yarbough’s abeyance hold.

Parties are slated to return on Aug. 9.

Judge won’t Modify Release Conditions for Stabbing Defendant

A stabbing defendant waived his right to a preliminary hearing but didn’t get modified release conditions before DC Superior Court Judge Eric Glover on June 10.

Sebastian Fonseca-Gomez, 25, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for his alleged involvement in a stabbing, which occurred on the intersection of 7th Street and A Street, NE on May 15. One individual sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the incident.

According to court documents, Fonseca-Gomez followed the victim on his bike while she was walking a dog. After following the victim for a few blocks and taunting her, he allegedly pepper sprayed the victim and stabbed her in the buttocks area.

During the hearing, John Machado, Fonseca-Gomez’s defense attorney, alerted Judge Glover of the defendant’s plan to waive his right to a preliminary hearing, and requested Fonseca-Gomez be taken off an ankle monitor because he works in maintenance for Capital Bikeshare. Machado said it is “impossible” for Fonseca-Gomez to ride his bike while wearing an ankle monitor.

Judge Glover denied the request to change the release conditions.

Parties are set to reconvene in front of DC Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno on June 21.

Defense Attorney Requests Mental Exam for Armed Carjacking Defendant

DC Superior Court Judge Eric Glover accepted a postponement and ordered a forensic mental exam for an alleged armed carjacking defendant on June 10.

Raysean Brown, 28, is charged with armed carjacking and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in an incident which occurred on May 23 at the 5000 block of Georgia Avenue, NW.

According to court documents, an individual, later identified as Brown, got into an altercation with the victim, who was allegedly pushed up against his car by the suspect holding a black handgun to his face. The individual’s car keys fell out of his pocket, causing the suspect to grab his keys and allegedly drive off with the individual’s car.

Brown was later arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on May 25.

At the hearing, Brown’s defense attorney, Susan Ellis, requested a continuation of the preliminary hearing and a forensic exam for Brown, which will be used to determine if he’s mentally competent to stand trial.

Parties are set to reconvene on June 14.

Lost Video Evidence Leads to Murder Case Dismissal

Prosecutors in a homicide case alerted DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe that they were dismissing a defendant’s case following allegations of lost evidence, during a June 10 hearing.

Ronnie Melson, 42, also known as “Snobs”, was charged with first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for allegedly shooting 41-year-old Demetrius Jones. The incident occurred on Nov. 6, 2020 on the 1700 block of Gales Street, NE.

According to court documents, Melson had an altercation with Jones a week prior to the incident. A witness overheard Jones stating he allegedly had plans to stab Melson due to a previous dispute. In the incident relevant to this case, and allegedly in retaliation for the stabbing, Jones suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, abdomen, back, arms, and left leg.

The request for dismissal stemmed from a June 3 hearing where Melson’s defense attorney, Jason Tulley, urged for dismissal of the case citing unavailability of lost evidence, including surveillance footage of the shooting. He stressed that the footage was lost due to MPD’s gross negligence.

At that hearing, prosecutors contended that the video evidence was lost accidentally.

However, due to the evidence issue, the prosecution proposed dismissing the case, and that outcome was accepted by the court and defense.

As for the motive behind the dismissal, the prosecutor simply stated that after a review of all matters of the case, they would like to dismiss without prejudice.

Judge O’Keefe granted the dismissal, which still allows the prosecution to refile charges against the defendant if any updates are made.

Convicted Shooter Assigned One More Hearing Before Probation Ends

Despite a report from the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) recommending the termination of probation, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt scheduled Markeis Crandall to an additional hearing on June 7.

Crandall, 20, was originally charged with two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, two counts possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol without a license for his involvement in a non-fatal shooting that left two individuals injured. The incident took place on the 2200 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE, on Nov. 26, 2021.

In 2022, Crandall accepted a deal that required him to plead guilty to aggravated assault knowingly while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He received a suspended sentence of five years with two years of probation.

During his term of probation, Crandall was detained at the DC Jail for multiple violations and repeatedly admitted into court-ordered residential substance abuse treatment programs.

At the June 7 hearing, a Community Supervision Officer (CSO) reported that Crandall had made progress on all the conditions of his probation. Although Crandall had failed two drug tests in May, the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) recommended that his probation be concluded.

The prosecutor requested another hearing before terminating probation, in light of the failed drug tests.

Judge Brandt noted that Crandall would have finished probation by now, if not for all the show cause hearings he had required for noncompliance.

“I want to make sure that Mr. Crandall isn’t falling back into his bad behavior with drugs before I close this case,” Judge Brandt said.

She ordered a subsequent hearing so that Crandall could provide more convincing assurance of abiding by the terms of his probation.

“I look at the young man that you have become–that you are becoming–and you are miles away from the young man I saw before me years ago,” Judge Brandt told Crandall. “I am scared to death what will happen if I’m removed from your life, and I’m just your judge. I can’t imagine what your mother must feel.”

Alvin Thomas, who was standing in for Crandall’s attorney, Sellano Simmons, proposed that Crandall’s appearance could be waived for the next hearing.

“I want to see him in person one last time,” Judge Brandt protested. “Don’t deprive me of that.”

“I tried to save you. I think I saved you. I’m not sure yet,” Judge Brandt said to Crandall.

To Thomas, she said, “Let me see him one last time.”

Parties are scheduled to reconvene on July 9.

Vehicular Homicide Defendant’s Driving Privileges Extended

Olivia Ayong, who is on release pending a trial for vehicular homicide, is now allowed to drive two hours longer each day, ruled DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt at a hearing on June 7.

Ayong, 49, is charged with negligent homicide of a pedestrian for her alleged involvement in the traffic death of Ralph Williams, 72. The incident occurred on the 900 block of K Street, NE, on Nov. 25, 2022.

Arrest documents report that Williams was unloading groceries from the rear of his vehicle when Ayong drove into him and his vehicle, causing him to be pinned between the two cars. Williams was transported to Medstar Washington Hospital Center, where he succumbed to his injuries.

According to court documents, Ayong, who works as a home health care provider, was transporting a patient at the time of the incident. Court documents state that Ayong tested negative for alcohol or drug use, and the patient in her vehicle said she was not using her phone at the time.

Alvin Thomas, who was standing in for Ayong’s lawyer, Maria Mena, at the June 7 hearing, asked Judge Brandt to extend Ayong’s permitted driving hours by four hours on weekdays and to allow her to drive on weekends. Thomas argued that Ayong was prevented from accepting many job assignments because of her driving restrictions.

The prosecutor objected to Ayong being allowed to drive at all, even for work, given that she was driving as part of her job at the time of Williams’ death.

Judge Brandt extended Ayong’s permitted driving hours by two hours on weekdays but did not allow her to drive on weekends. Judge Brandt stated that she would consider more significant changes to Ayong’s release conditions after the preliminary hearing.

Alvin Thomas requested that the preliminary hearing, which had been scheduled for June 7, be delayed to allow for the possibility of plea negotiations.

The prosecutor stated that the prosecution has not extended a plea offer and won’t do so before speaking with the victim’s family.

The next hearing is set for July 9.

Shooting Defendant’s Probation Hearing Delayed Pending Federal Case

DC Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz postponed the probation show cause hearing on June 10 for a shooting defendant due to an unrelated federal case.

On Dec. 22, 2020, Ronald L. Yarborough, 29, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his involvement in a shooting that occurred on June 23, 2020, on the 400 block of 2nd Street, NW.

Yarborough was sentenced to 36 months for assault with a dangerous weapon and 18 months for possession of an unlawful firearm, served concurrently. At sentencing he was required to be on two years of supervised probation upon release.

On Jan. 29, as Yarborough served his probation, he was arrested in connection to a federal firearm case.

Donna Beasley, Yarborough’s defense attorney requested additional time to allow the federal case to be resolved before dealing with the possibility of a revocation of probation.

Yarborough is set to return to court on July 10.