The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) apprehended a suspect accused of fatally shooting a 28-year-old man on the 1200 block of Southern Avenue, SE.
According to a press release, on June 16 officers arrested 28-year-old Robert Baskerville, a resident of Oxon Hill, Md., charging him with second-degree murder while armed.
On April 16, Darron Holmes was found suffering from gunshot wounds. He died on the scene.
There were seven homicides between June 1 and June 15 in 2022, according to D.C. Witness data.
In the majority of sexual assault cases where someone was charged in 2022, there were no weapons involved, according to D.C. Witness data.
A homicide defendant’s lawyer requested June 16 that his client receive mental health treatment after witnessing the death of a fellow inmate.
Ronald Miller, 43, is accused of stabbing his former girlfriend, 28-year-old Tiffany Hardy, to death on Feb. 8, 2021. Hardy was found inside a residence on the 1600 block of E Street, NE with multiple stab wounds to her neck and body, according to court documents. She was pronounced dead on the scene.
The hearing, which began with a focus on scheduling, turned into a mental health hearing due to a recent suicide at the DC Jail. Defense attorney Jason Tulley said an inmate hung himself last week at DC Jail and Miller was in the next cell.
“To have to watch them bring him out and really try to resuscitate him and watch that young man die, like really die, felt like I was experiencing it,” Miller said during the hearing.
Tulley said the defendant, who died, had requested mental health assistance but was unable to receive it. He asked for Miller to receive it from the DC Jail and would file a medical alert.
“I think being alerted to instances like this is educational for all of us,” DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt said.
She said she could not force the jail to give him treatment but suggested Tulley talk to jail officials about the issue.
Another hearing is scheduled for July 7.
A judge sentenced a homicide defendant to 11 years in prison after hearing multiple victim impact statements from family members.
Knico Wheaton, 25, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed on Jan. 28 in connection to the shooting of 41-year-old Tavon Cox on the 700 block of 24th Street, NE on Jan. 11, 2020. Cox succumbed to his injuries the following day, according to court documents.
Wheaton was initially indicted on charges of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, robbery while armed, and obstruction of justice in relation to the murder. He accepted the plea offer June 15.
The prosecutors asked DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee to consider the “permanent damage” of the crime and cited “the danger [they] believe the defendant poses to the community.” They asked for the maximum sentence under the plea agreement, noting the multiple videos and photos of Wheaton holding assault rifles.
The prosecutor read out four impact statements from friends of Cox in addition to those read to the court during a previous hearing April 22.
Cox “was a wonderful, loving father and husband who would give you the shirt off his back,” a close friend of the victim stated in a letter.
The letters revealed Cox was looking forward to moving to Georgia in search of a better life for him and his family.
“I miss my best friend every day … this isn’t a pain that will go away,” according to a statement by Cox’s best friend.
David Richter, Wheaton’s defense attorney, said the defense maintains that Wheaton was not the one who pulled the trigger. According to court documents, a witness saw multiple suspects attempting to purchase marijuana from Cox and saw one individual reach into his pocket as if to pull out money and shoot Cox in the head at close range.
Voluntary manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of 30 years of imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. However, parties agreed upon a suggested sentence ranging from a minimum of seven and a half years to 12 years in prison.
Richter asked for Wheaton to be sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA). Under the YRA, defendants under the age of 25 can qualify to have their records sealed at the completion of their sentence if they fulfill the imposed requirements.
Richter pointed to Wheaton’s difficult childhood, absent father, loss of a brother, work experience, and new child. He also noted how Wheaton decided to take responsibility for his actions instead of going to trial.
“Mr. Wheaton is an exceptional human I beg to be shown leniency,” a letter, written in support of the defendant from a close family friend, read.
Richter added that he has witnessed the defendant’s character growth since he was first arrested.
“I’ve now known Mr. Wheaton for two years,” Richter said. “I’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth. He is a lot more thoughtful and conscientious.”
Along with reading a letter to the court, Wheaton stood and apologized directly to Cox’s family, his own family, and the community. Members of both the victim and the defendant’s families were in attendance.
“I hope one day y’all will be able to forgive me,” Wheaton said.
Along with the 11-year prison sentence, Wheaton will also serve five years on supervised release.
“You’ve been through the system,” Judge Lee said. “You should have learned.”
Upon release, Wheaton will receive mental health counseling, drug treatment, vocational training, educational services, and will have to register as a gun offender.
In his decision, Judge Lee referenced Wheaton’s past robbery conviction. He also rejected the defense attorney’s request to sentence Wheaton under the YRA due to Wheaton’s priors and the severity of the crime.
“Whatever the sentence, you will recover from this,” Judge Lee said. “Tavon Cox, he won’t.”
The Metropolitan Police Department has announced a homicide that took place on June 15.
At approximately 11:44 a.m. officers responded to the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE, due to a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located 30-year-old Israel Mattocks with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on scene, according to the press release.
An arrest has not been made in relation to this homicide.
A DC Superior Court judge denied a homicide defendant’s request to remove a GPS tracker.
Tristian Cole, 31, is accused of stabbing 24-year-old Joel Midgett on the 200 block of K Street, NW during an altercation on Oct. 16, 2015. Midgett succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter. Cole was later charged with second-degree murder while armed.
On Feb. 10, 2020, Cole was released from detention under the high-intensity supervision program with a GPS monitor.
During the June 14 hearing, defense attorney Ronald Resetarits requested to remove the GPS attached to Cole’s ankle.
DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee denied the request but commended Cole on her observation of her release conditions thus far.
Cole’s next hearing is scheduled for July 6.
DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee denied a request for release from a defendant accused of shooting his father during an altercation.
Stephon Williams, 31, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and carrying a pistol outside a home or business. He is accused of shooting his then 49-year-old father Stephen Magruder on Sept. 11, 2020, on the 700 block of 51st Street, NE during a dispute.
Williams’ defense attorney Jason Tulley filed a motion on June 14 for Williams’ release into inpatient treatment. Tulley spoke about his concerns over Williams’ struggle with fentanyl addiction and the drug’s availability at the DC Jail, where Williams is currently detained. Tully argued that although Williams was currently fighting his addiction, keeping Williams in jail “is punishing him for being an addict.”
Tulley also brought to the court’s attention that the jail had run out of a medication that Williams was prescribed to treat blood clots–an ailment that had sent Williams to the hospital just a few months prior.
The prosecutor opposed the motion, arguing that Williams had plenty of opportunities to enter himself into inpatient programs when he had previously been released. Instead, Williams picked up several misdemeanor charges. Williams had additionally shown non-compliance with his release orders several times.
Judge Lee denied the defense’s motion for release on the grounds that Williams still poses a danger to the community.
Williams is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 30 for an additional hearing.
This case was acquitted on Dec. 16, 2022.
A defendant accused of stabbing a man to death in 2020 rejected a plea deal.
On Jan. 5, 2020, Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to reports of an assault taking place on the 1200 block of U Street, NW and found 22-year-old Dy’Mani Priestly suffering from a puncture wound to the chest. D.C. Fire and Emergency Services quickly transported Priestly to Howard University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Reginald W. Hooks Jr., 37, is charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection to Priestly’s death.
“Mr. Hooks will not be accepting a plea offer at this time,” Defense Attorney Bernadette Armand stated during the June 14 hearing.
If Hooks had accepted the plea deal, the murder charge would have been reduced to manslaughter, and he would have also been charged with carrying a dangerous weapon. Hooks would have faced a sentence ranging of six to 12 years in prison.
Prosecutors have conducted DNA testing from blood collected at the crime scene. Hooks waived his right to test DNA at a lab of his choosing.
“I told my lawyer that I was fine with the testing that the government has,” Hooks said.
Armand said that she intends on filing a motion to suppress statements, in relation to evidence collected from Hooks’ phone. Yet, the prosecution said evidence from the defendant’s phone would not be used during trial.
Additionally, Armand requested notice from the prosecution if jail calls are used as evidence.
“If you do identify them (the phone calls), please let the defense know,” DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan told prosecutors.
The trial is set to take place on Nov. 8.
Hooks is scheduled to appear in court again on Sept. 23.
A homicide trial resumed on June 13 with the prosecutors calling four witnesses in an attempt to link the defendants to other shootings.
Co-defendants Saquan Williams, 20, and Quincy Garvin, 22, are charged with, first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm, conspiracy and criminal street gang affiliation in connection to allegedly shooting 24-year-old Carl Hardy on the 1200 block of I Street, SE, on Sept. 10, 2017.
In the prosecutor’s attempt to connect the defendants to other shootings, the prosecution’s first witness Monday was shot in the leg during an incident, that allegedly involved gang activity, on July 9, 2017. The witness said he was shot in the back of his gray Honda on his way home from a social club.
Police searched the witness’s car, finding a firearm and charged him with carrying an illegal firearm. However, the charges were later dropped because it wasn’t his firearm although the gun was in his vehicle.
The prosecutor then called a detective from the Metropolitan Police Department who was assigned to investigate a separate shooting that occurred at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th Street, NW, on May 1, 2017.
The suspects of the May 1, 2017, shooting were reportedly driving a gray Nissan sedan. Surveillance video captured the suspects, in the gray Nissan, making a three-point turn near the intersection on the day of the shooting.
The detective said he found a Zipcar, a rented vehicle, matching the description of the gray Nissan on V Street, SE. The detective also obtained phone records of the person who rented the car. Records show numerous calls from one number. The same number connected to one of the defendants.
William’s defense attorney, Kyle McGonigal, asked the detective about a gold van that was seen driving away from the scene on one of the surveillance videos the detective reviewed. The detective testified that there were no reports that anyone was shooting from the gold van.
In response to the detective’s testimony, McGonigal mentioned two of the detective’s prior cases. In one of the cases, a judge declared the detective’s testimony as not credible, and, in the other, the case was dismissed because the detective misplaced evidence.
However, the prosecutor emphasized that the evidence that was misplaced was a note that was illegible.
The prosecution called another detective from the homicide branch to identify the individuals who frequented the Wellington Park area, specifically the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road, SE.
An investigator with the Criminal Intelligence Unit of the MPD was called to testify last. The investigator matched Instagram usernames to the real names of the users, which included Garvin. The witness also testified that “DF” is used as a vanity name to identify people associated with Wellington Park.
The prosecutor also showed the investigator clips of an Instagram live video feed from Oct. 4, 2017. Firearms, that could not be matched to any specific incident, were shown in the video.
During cross-examination, Garvin’s defense attorney Steven Kirsch emphasized that the investigator is not a firearms expert and the firearms shown were in no way unique.
The trial was scheduled to resume on June 14.
A defendant accused of shooting a young man to death in 2020 rejected a plea deal.
Micah Bidgell, 26, is charged with second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection to the death of Marquis Harrod,18.
According to court documents, on June 6, 2020, Bidgell allegedly shot Harrod multiple times on the 1300 block of Brentwood Road, NE. When Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to the scene, Harrod was found unconscious, not breathing, and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
If Bidgell accepted the plea deal, he would have pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter while armed in exchange for a sentence ranging from 8.5 years to 12 years.
Bidgell’s defense attorney Brian McDaniel requested an earlier trial date out of concern for a month-long trial occurring right before the defendant’s case. A prosecutor covering for the lead attorney wasn’t certain the prosecution would be ready at an earlier date.
DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan conveyed scheduling concerns as well. “Things have not moved for me, unfortunately,” she said.
“I’m hoping the other trial will resolve itself,” McDaniel stated. The trial date is currently set for Oct. 17.
Bidgell is scheduled to appear again on July 14.
A defendant charged in connection with a February 2020 fatal shooting accepted a plea deal.
Devon Stephens, 36, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed in the death of Eugene Isaac, Jr, 34, on the 100 block of N Street, NW, on Feb. 15, 2020. He was originally charged with first-degree murder while armed in relation to the homicide.
As part of the plea deal, parties agreed to a sentencing recommendation of 12 to 14 years as well as having the defendant register as a gun offender.
Stephens’ defense attorneys, Kevin Mosley and Raymond Jones, requested that Stephens be moved to the mental health unit at the DC Jail during the June 14 hearing.
DC Superior Court Judge Okun said he could not make the order, but he would make it a recommendation.
Elton Wiggins, 55, Stephens and Lejeevan Toudle, 38, were initially charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with Isaac’s death.
A judge dismissed the case against Toudle after ruling it did not have enough evidence to go to trial. Wiggins pleaded down to accessory after the fact to second-degree murder while armed and was sentenced to seven years in prison on Feb. 24.
Stephens is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 16.
A homicide defendant who allegedly shot a 42-year-old man rejected a pre-preliminary plea offer.
Jarrell Harris, 27, is charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection to the shooting of 42-year-old Sedrick Miller on March 4 on the 2000 block of 18th Street, NE. Miller was carrying a baby and holding the hand of a 5-year-old girl when he was murdered, according to court documents. Harris was arrested a month later and held at DC Jail.
DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt presided over the June 13 hearing, where Harris rejected the prosecution’s offer, which included a sentence between 10-and-a half to 13 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter while armed. Under the terms of the agreement, the prosecution would have also dropped any other charges.
By rejecting the offer, Harris faces a potential minimum of 30 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison if a jury finds him guilty.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 9.
After reviewing evidence, a judge found probable cause during a preliminary hearing for a homicide case on June 8.
On Sept 10, 2021, at 9:41 p.m., Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to a report of gunshots on the 100 block of Kennedy Street, NW. Officers found Delonte Hazel, 31, with gunshot wounds in a vehicle parked behind a building. Kevin Singletary, 44, who is also known as Kelvin Singletery or Kelvin Singletary, was charged in December 2021 with first-degree murder while armed in connection to Hazel’s homicide.
Singletary has been held at DC Jail since his arrest. During his preliminary hearing, the prosecutor aimed to establish probable cause in the case by presenting three primary exhibits of evidence – a map of the crime scene, an arrest warrant and a DNA report.
The arrest warrant included stills of videos captured by night-vision cameras and a local store’s security footage. DNA evidence was performed on a cartridge casing retrieved from the scene of the crime.
A detective provided detailed information on Hazel and Singletary’s whereabouts prior to the shooting, his identification of Singletary, and reviewed the prosecutor’s evidence.
According to the detective, Singletary wore reflective shoes and a shirt bearing a Nike insignia and an NFL insignia. In addition, local store security footage captured a clear face shot of Singletary. Although surveillance footage didn’t capture the shooting itself, the detective said Singletary was the only individual seen fleeing the crime scene.
Defense attorney Howard McEachern said Hazel had “beef” with multiple people prior to the shooting that same day, including an individual Hazel intended to rob, an individual looking for Hazel, and Singletary, who Hazel had an altercation with at a funeral.
According to witness rumors, cited by McEachern, Singletary killed Hazel due to this argument. Yet, another rumor alleges that one of the individuals Hazel had a confrontation with set Singletary up.
“All of these witnesses are intertangled,” McEachern said.
Following cross-examination of the detective, the prosecutor noted that the arrest warrant alone found probable cause that Singletary committed the homicide. The prosecutor also cited an “overwhelming DNA result” implicating Singletary. The consistency of clothing across footage, along with direct face shots of Singletary, corroborated the prosecutor’s arguments.
Yet, McEarchern contended that the night vision cameras didn’t provide consistent evidence of Singletary’s clothing.
“[We] have no idea from the night vision what the person is wearing,” McEachern said. In Singletary’s defense, he indicated that there is no video evidence of Singletary and Hazel being in the same presence.
Judge Marisa Demeo found probable cause and decided to continue to hold Singletary in DC Jail. “There is no condition or combination of conditions that will ensure the safety of the community,” Judge Demeo said.
Singletary is scheduled to appear in court next on July 25.
The Metropolitan Police Department announced a June 12 homicide.
At approximately 6:01 p.m. officers responded to the 1300 block of Savannah Street, SE, due to sounds of gunshots. Upon arrival, officers located 34-year-old Alphonzo Jones with gunshot wounds. He died from his injuries, according to the press release.
An arrest has yet to be made in this homicide.
