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Document: Arrest Made in a Homicide: 1400 Block of Girard Street, Northwest

On Sept. 8, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested and charged 33-year-old Jeremiah Jordan with first-degree murder while armed – premeditated for his alleged involvement in a shooting that left two individuals dead on July 22 on the 1400 block of Girard Street, NW.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting, where they located an adult male shooting victim. Shortly after, a second victim was located on the 1400 block of Fairmont Street, NW. Both victims were found with no signs consistent with life.

The first victim was identified as 29-year-old Luke Whitaker, the second victim was identified as 19-year-old Zion Hollingsworth-Hayes.

Document: Homicide: Intersection of 18th Street and Minnesota Avenue, Southeast

The Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Homicide Branch is investigating a homicide that occurred on Sept. 6 at the intersection of 18th Street and Minnesota Avenue, SE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for report of sounds of gunshots and a vehicle collision, where they located an adult male shooting victim inside of a vehicle. The victim was transported to a local hospital for the treatment of life threatening injuries.

On Sept. 8, the victim succumbed to his injuries. He was identified as 23-year-old Brandon Gant.

Document: Suspect Sought in an Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Gun) Offense: 400 Block of Condon Terrace, Southeast

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a suspect in connection to a non-fatal shooting that occurred on Sept. 8 on the 400 block of Condon Terrace, SE.

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

The suspect was captured by cameras.

Document: Traffic Fatality: Intersection of Rhode Island and Montana Avenues, Northeast

The Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Major Crash Unit is investigating a traffic fatality that occurred on May 25 at the intersection of Rhode Island and Montana Avenues, NE.

According to MPD documents, a DC Department of Public Works trash truck was traveling southbound on 14th Street, NE, and proceeded through the intersection of 14th Street and Rhode Island Avenue, NE, toward Montana Avenue, NE. The pedestrian entered the crosswalk and began to run across Montana Avenue, causing vehicles with the green light to come to a sudden and abrupt stop. The pedestrian then collided with the trash truck causing the pedestrian to fall to the ground. The pedestrian, while unconscious, was transported to a local hospital for the treatment of blunt force injuries.

On Sept. 4, the pedestrian succumbed to his injuries. He was identified as 66-year-old Johnny Lee Harrington.

Document: Arrests Made in an Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (Gun) Offense: 3700 block of 9th Street, Southeast

On Sept. 7, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested and charged 32-year-old Brandon Rawlings with assault with a dangerous weapon (gun) and 28-year-old Lynette Davis with carrying a pistol without a license, for their alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that occurred on Sept. 7 on the 3700 block of 9th Street, SE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location after hearing the sounds of gunshots, where they located an adult male victim suffering from a graze wound. Responding officers apprehended the suspect, and treated the victim on scene.

Second-Degree Murder Defendant Accepts Plea Offer

During a status hearing on Sept. 8, defendant Cynthia Battle, 54, accepted a prosecution plea offer.

Battle is charged with second-degree murder while armed for her alleged involvement in the stabbing of Raymond Johnson, 59, that occurred on Jan. 16  on the 1500 block of 19th Street, SE. 

According to court documents, Johnson was found unconscious and bleeding before succumbing to a fatal stab wound to the chest. Battle was arrested March 14 in North Carolina and later extradited to DC.   

During the hearing, Battle accepted a deal that required her to plead guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter in exchange for the dismissal of the second-degree murder while armed charge. According to the DC Superior Court Sentencing Commission’s Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines, the maximum penalty for voluntary manslaughter is 30 years in prison. 

Sentencing before DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe is set for Nov. 17. 

Homicide Defendant Sentenced to Seven Years for Best Friend’s Death

On Sept. 8, DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt sentenced a homicide defendant to seven years for her involvement in her best friend’s death. 

Ariel Cooper-White, 40, was originally charged with second-degree murder while armed for her involvement in the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Sophia Johnson on Oct. 27, 2022, on the 1300 block of New Jersey Avenue, NW. 

According to prosecutors, Cooper-White was high on phencyclidine, better known as PCP, when she shot Johnson inside a vehicle. She shot 11 times, striking Johnson twice, with a stray bullet hitting a vehicle next to theirs at a stop light. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) located Johnson unconscious and unresponsive in the driver seat of the vehicle. Cooper-White was located at the scene. 

On May 19, Cooper-White accepted a plea agreement extended by prosecutors. She pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter and one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. 

At the sentencing, prosecutors read a letter written by Johnson’s mother, in which she stated that “Sophia was [her] angel,” and argued that a part of her was gone with her daughter in a grave. 

According to the mother’s letter, Sophia had a good heart. She was a home health aide who worked with individuals who had disabilities, and fought hard to stay clean and away from drugs. 

Johnson’s mother also mentioned that Cooper-White and Johnson had been friends since their late teens, and insisted she didn’t understand why Cooper-White chose to shoot and kill her daughter. 

Likewise, Johnson’s uncle argued that Cooper-White had made a decision by arming herself with a gun on the day of the incident. “A person doesn’t arm themselves with a gun unless they plan to use it… She was ready to kill Sophia,” he said. 

Johnson’s uncle asked Judge Brandt to “honor the glorious value” of Johnson’s life and allow their family to get some closure. 

Prosecutors requested Judge Brandt sentence Cooper-White to seven years for the possession charge, and 10 years for the voluntary manslaughter charge, and asked that the sentences run concurrently. 

“This is a sad case, there’s no doubt that they were the best of friends,” said a prosecutor. 

Prosecutors also argued that Cooper-White’s family knew she had drug problems and was known to throw temper tantrums, and they had hoped she would experience a wake up call. “The wake up call should not have been Sophia dying,” prosecutors insisted. 

Cooper-White’s son told Judge Brandt he had seen his mother at the lowest points of her life, stating that when that happened Johnson would be the one to step in and help raise him. “Sophia is the reason I have a driver’s license,” he exclaimed. 

According to Cooper-White’s son, she knows she will live with the fact she killed her best friend for the rest of her life. 

When speaking to his mother, Cooper-White’s son said “I promise I’ll be here, I love Sophia so much. Mom, I love you with all my heart. I’m hoping you get better”. 

Defense attorneys for Cooper-White asked Judge Brandt to sentence her to five years for both counts and requested the sentences run concurrently, stating that she was already dealing with a big loss in her life. 

While she addressed the court, Cooper-White told Judge Brandt that she was already living a life sentence because she had to live with her decision for the rest of her life. 

Addressing Johnson’s mother, Cooper-White said, “I want to apologize to Sophia’s mother, whom I called mine as well. You loved me like your daughter, and I loved you like my mother. Sophia was my angel”. 

“I have to live with this for the rest of my life, I need help,” she insisted. 

“This is truly a tragic situation,” said Judge Brandt. “You have the court’s condolences,” she told both families, explaining that she understood that both families considered Johnson and Cooper-White part of their own. 

“You can’t just go around in society killing people,” she told Cooper-White. “At the end of the day, there’s a woman dead by your hands,” she said. 

“You caused it all for the love of PCP,” she stated. 

Judge Brandt sentenced Cooper-White to seven years for the voluntary manslaughter and five years for the possession charge, which will run concurrent to one another. She is also expected to register as a gun offender once she is released, and will have a three year period of supervised release for each charge. 

Judge Brandt stated she would order she be placed in an intensive drug treatment program, and a Bureau of Prisons (BoP) location that is close to the District and that has a schooling program.  

As Cooper-White was escorted out of the courtroom, Judge Brandt wished her luck, and family members reminded her they love her. 

Before exiting the courtroom, Johnson’s mother hugged Cooper-White’s children and told them everything will be okay.

Defendants Plead Not Guilty to 2020 Homicide

During a hearing on Sept. 8, two co-defendants were arraigned on murder charges. 

Ky’lee Palmer, 23, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault to kill while armed, possession of a firearm, tampering with physical evidence, and destruction of property worth $1,000 or more for allegedly shooting  60-year-old Barron Goodwin on Feb. 12, 2020, on the 800 block of 51st Street, SE.  Palmer is also charged with kidnapping while armed and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction in another case. 

On Sept. 7, Metropolitan Police Officers (MPD) arrested and charged 20-year-old Aaron Adgerson with premeditated first-degree murder, assault with intent to kill while armed, and two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged involvement in the same case. 

Palmer and Adgerson pleaded not guilty to all charges and asserted their rights to a speedy trial.

DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe scheduled the next hearing for Sept. 22. 

Suspect Sentenced in Mistaken Shooting Incident

In a Sept. 8 hearing, DC Superior Court Judge Lynn Leibovitz sentenced Lucky Curry for wounding an innocent bystander following a robbery attempt.

Curry, 23, was originally charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for an incident that took place on the 2800 block of Alabama Avenue, SE on March 15. 

According to court documents, Curry was the victim of a robbery during which his jacket and personal items were stolen.  As the suspects drove away, surveillance footage shows Curry fired “multiple shots” at their vehicle.  In the process a woman at the scene was struck by two gunshots, one to the right shoulder and the other to her lower back.

In July, Curry pleaded guilty to the assault and during the sentencing his attorney, Steven Legerfo, acknowledged that the facts of the case are “very bad.”  However, Legerfo argued for probation noting that Curry has considerable family support and they were present in the courtroom.  

Further, Legerfo said that Curry had done well in the Young Men Emerging development program for young offenders in the District.  

However, in passing sentence Judge Leibovitz stated that Curry severely injured a woman.  Even though he had been wronged, it was not justification for the shooting.  Otherwise, Leibovitz observed, “Everybody would be dead in our city.”

She also decried the “explosion” of gun violence in the District in spite of many efforts to curb the problem.  Reviewing the facts, Leibovitz said it’s possible that Curry would behave exactly the same way in a similar situation and that incarceration was warranted.

Judge Leibovitz sentenced Curry to 40 months on the assault with a dangerous weapons charge and 12 months for carrying a firearm during a crime of violence to be served concurrently.  In addition, he’ll have to register as a gun offender on release and submit to three years supervised probation.

Judge Sentences Mentally Ill Murder Defendant to 90 Months Under Youth Act

On Sept. 8, DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan sentenced homicide defendant Kavell Miller to 90 months of incarceration followed by five years of supervised release.

Miller, 22, was originally charged with first-degree murder while armed for an incident on the 3900 block of South Capitol Street, SW on Oct. 8, 2021 that left 33-year-old Lester Mangum dead. 

On Jan. 26, Miller, who has a history of mental illness, accepted a plea deal that reduced his first-degree murder charge to voluntary manslaughter while armed and dismissed three misdemeanor charges.

He was sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA), which effectively seals his case after completing his jail time.

The prosecution asked for a sentence of twelve years, between the minimum seven-and-a-half and maximum fifteen, to balance mitigating factors like the defendant’s young age and his mental issues with concerns for public safety.

They focused on the seriousness of the crime and suggested they could prove murder in the first- degree.

The decedent’s aunt spoke about how the defendant’s actions hurt many people. She noted that Magnum left behind five children and that his murder was “unimaginable” for their family. In closing, she prayed for Miller to get the help that he needs.

Miller himself also addressed the court, expressing remorse and apologizing to the family of the victim. He said he has been “hearing voices for years,” underscoring his struggles with schizophrenia. His attorney, Errin Scialpi, argued Miller’s “very significant mental health challenges” and lack of previous convictions as mitigating factors, urging Judge Raffinan to fashion a sentence that takes all aspects of justice into account.

Judge Raffinan said she came to her decision after considering the facts and supplemental letters from family members about the impact of their loss. She also emphasized she wants to ensure Miller continues to receive the mental health treatment and counseling he needs.

Miller is set to undergo therapy along with educational programs while at a Federal Correctional Institution near Butner, NC. In addition, Miller must pay $100 to the Victims of Violent Crime Compensation Fund before a March 9, 2029 deadline.

Miller must remain a registered a gun offender until two years after his supervisory release period is complete.

Document: Second Arrest Made in a 2020 Homicide: 800 Block of 51st Street, Southeast

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced a second suspect had been arrested in connection to a homicide that occurred on Feb. 12, 2020 on the 800 block of 51st Street, SE. On Sept. 7, MPD arrested and charged 20-year-old Aaron Adgerson with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the above mentioned homicide.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting, where they located an adult male, inside a residence, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital, where, despite all lifesaving efforts, he succumbed to his injuries.

The victim was identified as 60-year-old Barron Goodwin.

On Sept. 28, 2022, the first suspect, a 23-year-old adult male, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

Document: Arrest Made in a 2012 Homicide: 2000 Block of 4th Street, Northeast

On Sept. 7, he Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested and charged 31-year-old Deangelo Opey with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in a homicide that occurred on Oct. 31, 2012, on the 2000 block of 4th Street, NE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of a shooting, where they located an adult male shooting victim with no signs consistent with life. MPD’s investigation determined that the victim had been shot multiple times in the rear alley of the 300 block of V Street, NE, before he ran through the alley to the location where he was located.

The victim was identified as 25-year-old Anthony Weathers.

Document: Arrest Made in a Homicide: 1900 Block of 3rd Street, Northeast

On Sept. 7, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested and charged 31-year-old Gregory Smithwick with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in a homicide that occurred on Sept. 13, 2013, on the 1900 block 3rd Street, NE.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of an unconscious person, where they located an adult male shooting victim with no signs consistent with life.

The victim was identified as 34-year-old Vernon Davis.

Document: Arrest Made in a Homicide: 3600 Block of 16th Street, Northwest

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested and charged 44-year-old Emerita Garcia with first-degree murder for her alleged involvement in a homicide that occurred on Aug. 24 on the 3600 block of 16th Street, NW.

According to MPD documents, officers responded to the location for the report of the sounds of gunshots, where they located an adult male shooting victim with no signs consistent with life.

The victim was identified as 27-year-old Larry Thomas.

Homicide Defendant Pleads Not Guilty


On Sept. 8,  a homicide defendant was arraigned before DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe.

Darryl Little, 29, is charged with conspiracy, four counts of first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill, and assault with significant bodily injury while armed, among other charges, for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Albert Smith, 21. The incident occurred on June 14, 2020, on the 1300 block of Congress Street, SE. 

Little is one of five co-defendants charged in connection to the incident including, 36-year-old Marcel Gavin, 33-year-old Johnny Wilkins, 31-year-old Earl Robinson, and 24-year-old Kharee Jackson. 

On Aug. 14, DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein issued a warrant for Little’s arrest. 

Little’s defense attorney Matthew Graves argued that Little was not a direct participant in the attack but merely present. However, Judge O’Keefe reminded him that a grand jury found sufficient evidence to indict him for murder. A large portion of the attack was captured by security cameras around the area. 

Little is being held at the DC Jail awaiting trial. All defendants, including Little, pleaded not guilty to all charges. The trial is set to begin May 12, 2025.