The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the public’s assistance in locating and identifying a suspect-vehicle that was involved in a non-fatal shooting that left two underaged girls injured.
The incident occurred on April 29, on the 600 block of Division Avenue, NE.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the public’s assistance in the investigation of a fatal shooting that occurred on May 3, on the 3700 block of Jamison Street, NE.
The shooting claimed the life of 23-year-old Kaijah McCoy.
On May 2, DC Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe found probable cause to charge Tre’quan Nelson in connection with a homicide.
Nelson, 23, is accused of first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in a shooting that claimed 34-year-old Delonte King’s life on Nov. 3, 2021, on the 2800 block of 14th Street, NW.
Judge O’Keefe stated that based on the evidence provided to the court, Nelson was one of the two individuals who committed the murder.
According to court documents, Nelson and Demonte Gibson, 26, who’s also been charged in the case, were seen approaching King at the intersection of 14th Street and Girard Streets the day of the incident, an interaction caught on surveillance footage. A witness heard one of the individuals say words equivalent to “You see this right here?” before firing six to eight gunshots in King’s direction and running away.
Nelson’s attorney, Jesse Winograd, argued prosecutors did not meet the threshold of probable cause because no evidence shows that Nelson possessed a gun.
Winograd said his client’s being at the crime scene does not show he shot King.
Judge O’Keefe insisted the standard of probable cause was met by prosecutors, saying the autopsy report showed King was shot with two different guns. He also stated that the defendants were identified in surveillance footage to police, and there were no other people near where the shell casings were found.
Judge O’Keefe stated the defendant would remain held at DC Jail to ensure the community’s safety as he awaits trial.
Parties are expected back for a felony status conference with DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on May 26.
DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt recused herself from a case in a May 2 hearing because of a surprise contact with a co-defendant accused in a non-fatal shooting.
Michael Dukes, 25, and Rickeis Watkins, 22, were indicted on charges of assault with intent to kill, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a pistol without a license, and unlawful possession of ammunition in connection to an incident that occurred on the 1400 block of Brentwood Road, NE on March 24, 2022. Both suspects were on release with GPS monitoring.
According to court records, there were no apparent victims on the scene.
Judge Brandt stated she was recusing herself because of a recent interaction with Watkins at her local grocery store where she ran into Watkins who is employed there.
After a brief question about how they knew since they were wearing face masks, Watkins pointed to his GPS monitor on his ankle and told Judge Brandt, “You put this box on my ankle.”
Judge Brandt stated that out of an abundance of caution, she decided it was best to recuse herself.
The case was transferred to DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein and plea offers were accepted for both defendants.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Dukes pleaded guilty to one count of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. Watkins pleaded guilty to one count of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of carrying a pistol without a license.
Sentencing for both parties is scheduled for Aug. 4.
Newly appointed defense attorney, Kevin Mosley, requested a date for a status hearing to familiarize himself with a murder involving a lover’s quarrel. In a May 2 hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt Mosley also said he wanted to discuss a possible plea deal.
Idrissa Fall, 36, is charged with first degree murder premeditated while armed, a bias-related crime, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction in connection to the murder of Dara Northern, 29, on the 6100 block of 4th Street, NW on July 18, 2021.
According to court documents, witnesses state Northern and Fall were romantically involved. A witness stated that when Northern went to pick Fall up for a date, the couple seemed to be having an argument.
The witness attempted to say hello to Fall. “Stop playing with me with that gay shit,” Fall allegedly replied and then shot Northern inside the witness’s vehicle.
Another witness stated the couple had an argument a few weeks prior about Fall’s being uncomfortable with Northern having gay friends.
She suffered a gunshot wound to her right eye and was pronounced brain dead later that day.
Fall has another open case and is charged with attempted unlawful possession of contraband in a penal institution after a homemade weapon was allegedly found in his cell.
Parties are expected back in court on July 5.
As a high-profile murder trial entered its third month, prosecutors Introduced dozens of Instagram posts and social media messages to convince jurors that the suspects tried to hide their identities using so-called “vanity names,” while communicating their violent intent in code.
Gregory Taylor, 27, Quentin Michals, 25, Qujuan Thomas, 24, Darrise Jeffers, 23, Isiah Murchison, 23 and Marquell Cobbs, 21, are six of 10 defendants charged with first-degree murder, criminal street gang affiliation, conspiracy, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to kill, and other charges regarding a drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson on the 300 block of 53rd Street, NE on July 16, 2018.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective leading the investigation walked the jury through the online information in the form of message records, pictures and videos. Without specifically identifying each person, the evidence painted a larger picture of what prosecutors say was a conspiracy to commit murder. Several videos show individuals dancing and carrying guns.
Around the time of the murder, the prosecution says that Murchison and Michals exchanged messages about the need to recover a gun, whiie Cobbs, meanwhile was warning about the location of police. One prosecution exhibit showed a picture of Jeffers with a gun in his lap.
In another message, defendant Thomas says he felt disrespected and discussed the problem of “coordinating an attack.”
Ruling against defense objections,DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun said there’s sufficient basis to consider Murchison a part of the conspiracy.
One of the vanity names that came under scrutiny was “Hollywood Glizzy”. Online conversations in and around the murder, the prosecution says, indicate that Glizzy was shopping for firearms.
In one post, Glizzy says, “I need another cutter (slang for a firearm).” In a July 8, 2018 message, the MPD detective showed pictures of a pistol and a rifle that a correspondent named “Mook” sent to Glizzy. The price discussed for the pistol, identified as a Glock, was $850.
In another post from a source identified as “Real Big Goonie,” the message was “We got the choppas that Osama went to war with.”
Taylor’s attorney, Jonathan Zucker, countered that any individual could use someone’s cell phone to make a call or post in an effort to disguise their identity. Further, there were many names in the Instagram log that the detective couldn’t identify.
One video introduced by prosecutors and disputed by the defense showed Taylor performing a rap song as part of a “going live” performance. Taylor was allegedly upset about a “fake account” and the prosecution said he made remarks about “killing kids.”
However, Zucker says there’s no way to know if Taylor made threats to anyone in particular.
The trial resumed on May 3 and closing arguments are anticipated for the middle of May.
The owner of a home where a double murder took place testified in a May 2 hearing before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt he was in the house when the crime occurred.
Alphonso Walker, 45, is being charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, two counts of first-degree murder while armed while committing or attempting to commit a robbery, six counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of attempting to commit robbery and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction in connection to the deaths of Dalonte Wilson, 23, and Antone Brown, 44, near the 400 block of 61 Street, NE on April 25, 2018. Walker has been held in the DC Jail since December of 2018.
On Tuesday, the homeowner stated he was in a room with two others on the first floor when he heard gunshots that seemed close. One of the individuals in the room then turned off the lights.
“Give me the fucking money,” witnesses overheard someone say.
Brown and another individual entered the room allegedly looking for money. When none was found and they exited the room, the witness heard one of the individuals say “I’m not gonna ask again,” and then a final gunshot went off.
Another witness, who was in the room at the time, made an in-court identification of Walker during testimony. However, she had previously testified that she would not be able to identify the shooter by appearance and only by voice.
The witness was convicted of perjury in 1989, when she accepted money to drop charges against a man who allegedly stabbed her.
Trial is scheduled to resume May 3.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the public’s assistance in an investigation of a fatal shooting that occurred on May 2, on the 400 block of Condon Terrace, SE. The shooting claimed 27-year-old Derrick Thomas’ life.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the assistance of the public in locating a suspect vehicle for a traffic fatality that occurred on May 1, on I-295 Southbound. The incident claimed the life of 30-year-old Rhyes Patrick-James Harris.
MPD is on the lookout for a 1999 to 2003 Ford Windstar minivan that may have defects that corroborate running over a pedestrian. The color of the vehicle is unknown.
On May 2, Rayvon Slye, 31, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder for his alleged involvement in the fatal stabbing of 30-year-old Andrea Bond. The incident occurred on March 8, on the 1100 block of D Street, NE.
D.C. Witness recorded 38 homicide and non-fatal shooting incidents in DC during the month of April.
Of those incidents, 13 were homicides. All homicides committed in the District were caused by shootings.
The shooting death of Terrell Coghill on April 11 on the 4000 block of Benning Road, NE was related to a mass shooting. Three other victims suffered from gunshot wounds in that shooting as well.
In addition to the mass shooting incident that left the 29-year-old dead. D.C. Witness also documented another mass shooting incident during the month on the 2900 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE in Congress Heights on April 2. The shooting injured four people.
One homicide victim, 36-year-old Orlando Galloway, was found with both gunshot and stab wounds on the 200 block of 14th Street, SE on April 2. He died on the scene. Police apprehended 39-year-old Julius Lee Worthy on April 3. He is charged with second-degree murder while armed.
According to D.C. Witness data, there were 16 shootings in Southeast DC, 12 shootings in Northeast DC, four shootings in Southwest DC, and six shootings in Northwest DC.
Two of those shootings have been identified as being domestic in nature.
Police have apprehended seven suspects in non-fatal shootings this month.
The defense disparaged a key eyewitness’s credibility in a murder trial after revealing inconsistencies in her testimony, and citing her prior conviction for perjury.
Alphonso Walker, 45, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, two counts of first-degree murder while armed while committing or attempting to commit a robbery, six counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of attempting to commit robbery and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction in connection to the death of Dalonte Wilson, 23, and Antone Brown, 44, near the 400 block of 61st Street, NE on April 25, 2018.
During the incident, three individuals were in the home where the shooting took place. Two of the individuals present during the murders testified at Monday’s hearing.
Both eyewitnesses explained that they had been using heroin in April 2018 and intended to get high the night of the shooting. They said they were waiting in one of the rooms for Wilson to sell them drugs.
Then they heard an argument followed by a gunshot, shut off the lights and took cover. Another man, whose voice was unrecognized, demanded that Wilson give him everything he had. When Wilson said that he didn’t have anything, the witnesses heard another gunshot before the house fell silent.
Both witnesses explained that the two men briefly entered the room where they had been hiding. One of the witnesses was unable to provide any information about the suspect as she hid under the couch.
The other witness, however, stated she recognized Walker as the shooter when she saw him two days after the murders and identified him in court. She also identified an alternate suspect in a photo but stated that he had not been in the house that night.
However, defense attorney Prescott Loveland noted inconsistencies in her testimony.
Loveland said the witness testified during the grand jury proceedings and stated in a police interview that she would only be able to identify the suspect if she could hear his voice. When asked how she was able to identify Walker without first hearing his voice, the witness stated that she lied.
Under questioning, the witness admitted she hadn’t heard an audio recording nor was shown a photo of Walker made during the last five years.
Loveland also asked about whether the lights had been on in the room where the shooting happened. She testified they had been turned on. However, in her grand jury testimony, she stated that they were off. When asked if she had lied, the witness stated that “they never asked” if the lights were turned on.
Loveland also asked the witness about her conviction for perjury in 1989, when she had given a false in-court identification.
“Today I’m not lying,” the witness later stated.
An additional witness present in the home during the night of the murders may not be allowed to testify as he mistakenly entered the courtroom and overheard a previous witness’s testimony. That matter will be determined at the next hearing.
The trial before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt is scheduled to resume on May 3 at 9:30 am.
Murder suspect Karlos Kinney is weighing whether to change his not guilty plea in connection with the killing of Resha Blount, according to his attorney Antoini Jones.
Kinney, 23, is charged with second-degree murder while armed in the shooting death of Blount on April 30, 2020, on the 900 block of New Jersey Avenue NW.
In a hearing on May 1, DC Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein asked if Kinney had changed his mind about the original plea deal offered in 2021.
Initially, Kinney turned down a prosecution offer to plead guilty to a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed with a recommended sentence of seven-and-a-half to 15 years.
Meanwhile, prosecutors have extended their plea offer until May 8, according to court documents.
Judge Epstein set the next hearing in the case for May 9.
If the matter goes to trial, Judge Epstein also set a date for Dec. 2, 2024
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking assistance in the investigation of a fatal shooting that claimed the life of 34-year-old John Coleman, which occurred on the 2000 block of M Street NE, on May 1.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) are seeking information regarding a traffic fatality that occurred on May 1, on I-295 Southbound. Rhyes Patrick-James Harris, 30, was struck by an unknown vehicle as he assessed his vehicle’s mechanical issues.
