Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating the death of an 18 year old who was found on a Metro bus with multiple apparent gunshot wounds.
At approximately 1:43 a.m. on May 13, officers responded to the 3700 block of 14th Street, NW, for the report of a shooting, according to a press release. It was there that they found the shooting victim, Anthony Arter, and took him to a local hospital. He succumbed to his injuries.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police Department are investigating the murder of 48-year-old Christine Chase, who was shot on the 1200 block of Raum Street NE on May 13, 2022.
Reginald English, 50, was charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Christine Chase, 48, on May 13, 2022, and another victim on the 1200 block of Raum Street, NE.
A press release states that officers arrived on scene and found a female suffering from a gun shot wound. She was later pronounced dead at the scene and transferred to the medical examiner.
The father of a 34-year-old woman killed in February addressed a DC Superior Court judge after the defendant charged in her death accepted a plea deal.
Miana Luckett was shot to death on the afternoon of Feb. 22. Officers found her lying on a sidewalk alongside the 1500 block of North Capitol Street, NE, with a single gunshot wound to the chest, according to court documents. Ronnie Thorne, 23, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed two weeks later.
During the most recent hearing for this case on May 13, Thorne pleaded down to voluntary manslaughter while armed. As part of the plea deal she took, parties agreed to recommend a nine-year prison sentence.
The prosecutor told Judge Robert Okun the victim’s family was in the courtroom and would like to be heard.
Luckett’s father addressed the court, saying he disagrees with Judge Okun’s decision to accept the plea and imploring him to reconsider. He wanted Thorne sentenced to 30 years, the maximum penalty for voluntary manslaughter.
“We had one child who has three daughters who will never come back to us again,” he said.
Judge Okun said he would consider what the victim’s father said but did accept the plea.
Family members were visibly emotional as the defendant was led out of the courtroom. “Go to Hell,” the father said, staring at her.
Thorne is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 5.
Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old Maryland man.
At approximately 11:42 p.m. on May 12, officers responded to the 3000 block of Stanton Road, SE, for the report of a shooting, according to a press release. There, they found Jordan Hill, of Oxon Hill, Md., suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The defense team in a domestic violence case is no longer pursuing a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
The defendant is indicted on charges of assault with intent to kill while armed, cruelty to children, malicious disfigurement, aggravated assault and assault with a dangerous weapon.
DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo began the defendant’s May 13 hearing by asking if the defense was still looking to pursue a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Defense attorney Steven Kiersh said they no longer were.
A recent Department of Behavioral Health report found the defendant mentally competent to stand trial, Judge Demeo said. Neither party has contested the finding. Still, Judge Demeo said she would file a Frendak inquiry regarding the insanity defense as a formality.
The 1979 Supreme Court decision in Frendak v. U.S. requires judges to verify a defendant’s competency before allowing the defendant to waive an insanity defense.
The defendant rejected a plea offer during a hearing last November. At that time, Judge Juliet McKenna scheduled him to go on trial this coming November, but the trial date was vacated in January.
Judge Demeo scheduled a trial readiness hearing for Oct. 17. Motions are due on Aug. 26, with responses due on Sept. 9.
One of the prosecutors on the case said they are not going to present DNA evidence at trial and the only experts they will call are medical doctors who will testify to physical injuries. He said they had not yet sent out expert notices because they were waiting on the defense’s angle on the defendant’s competency evaluations.
Testimony from DNA and competency experts tend to be the most time-consuming, Judge Demeo said. Because the prosecution is not calling such witnesses and the defense is not pursuing an insanity plea, the trial is expected to be shorter. It was previously expected to last eight to nine days but is now expected to last five to six days.
The defendant is scheduled to return to court for a status hearing on June 17. In the meantime, he will remain detained at DC Jail.
A suspect has been arrested in reference to a double homicide.
At approximately 3:21 p.m. on March 14, officers responded to the 700 block of 13th Street, SE, for the report of a shooting, according to a press release. There, they found 22-year-old Antoine Jenkins and 62-year-old Antwan Brown suffering from gunshot wounds. Both men died from their injuries.
On May 12, 27-year-old Raymond Khalil Jones was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed.
Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a deadly shooting in Northeast, DC.
At approximately 9:37 a.m., officers responded to the 1200 block of Brentwood Road, NE, for the report of a shooting, according to a press release. There, they found 25-year-old Delonte Harrison suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was taken to a local hospital and succumbed to his injuries the next day.
Attorneys discussed preparations to take the case of a shooting that killed one and injured three to trial in July.
Torey Stockton is indicted on multiple charges including first-degree murder while armed for allegedly opening fire on a group of people outside a convenience store on the 2000 block of 16th Street, SE, on the morning of Jan. 7, 2018. Jasmine Light, 23, was shot in the head and died from her injuries. Three men were shot but survived their injuries, according to court documents.
Stockton’s co-defendant, Kayla Thompson, is charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly helping Stockton remove or alter evidence. She is on pretrial release and attended the May 11 hearing remotely.
A motion by Thomson’s defense attorney, Kevin McCants, to sever the co-defendants’ cases awaits a ruling. McCants is seeking the severance based on the fact Stockton has many more charges than Thompson and his alleged role in the shooting is more substantial than hers.
The prosecution accused Stockton, 24, of contacting Thompson several times from DC Jail, telling her to delete incriminating social media content from his account.
DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo asked for copies of all the evidence presented during the defendant’s 2018 preliminary hearing because it was difficult to rule on the pending motions without making her own independent assessment. The severance motion is the only motion on the table that addresses both Stockton and Thompson and is set to be argued on June 7.
The case is scheduled to go to trial in July. The prosecution said the number of witnesses they expect to call has dropped from 30 down to 20-22. They said they would be ready for jury selection on July 6 as planned. Witness testimony is set to begin the next day. The trial is expected to be completed by the week of July 11.
The target of the shooting was believed to be an associate of Stockton’s who had borrowed his gold Glock handgun and never returned it, according to court documents. Stockton allegedly posted several times on Instagram, bragging about his involvement in the shooting and threatening to continue shooting people until he got his gun back.
According to the prosecution, social media posts depicted the defendant waiving an automatic black handgun with an extended clip that the prosecution said had a very distinct look, specific caliber requirements and a unique fire type. Judge Demeo specifically requested records and photographs related to the murder weapon and asked how the gun could be identified simply from social media images and video. The prosecution said that investigators with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were able to use videos and audio posted to Instagram and a number of 9mm bullet casings recovered by crime scene techs on the night of the incident.
Stockton will remain detained at DC Jail as he awaits his motion hearing.
A defendant accused of sexually abusing two children rejected a plea offer from the prosecution.
The 23-year-old defendant is charged with one count of first-degree child sex abuse and one count of second-degree child sex abuse for allegedly abusing two young girls, ages five and seven, at a family member’s residence.
During a May 11 hearing, the prosecutor laid out the plea offer. It would have required the defendant to plead guilty to one count of second-degree child sex abuse in relation to the first victim and one count of attempted child sex abuse in relation to the second victim. In exchange, the prosecutor would drop all aggravating circumstances stemming from the victims being less than 12 years old and the familial relationship the victims have with the defendant. The defendant rejected the offer.
Attorneys told DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan the case was proceeding as scheduled. Defense attorney Julie Swaney said her client has been complying with his curfew requirements and she plans to submit a motion to modify his release conditions if he kept up his compliance.
The defendant was ordered detained at DC Jail during his initial hearing in December 2021 and released into the High Intensity Supervision Program on home confinement and a stay away order the following February. After spending 30 days in home confinement, he was allowed to leave his home with a curfew in place.
The defendant is scheduled to return to court for a felony status conference on July 13.
Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old man in Southwest, DC.
On the night of May 10, officers found Deonte Pittman on the Unit Block of Galveston Street, SW, suffering from a gunshot wound, according to a press release. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Officers received another call for an adult male shooting victim on the Unit block of Forrester Street, SW. That victim was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Parties in a murder case discussed DNA testing and a change in defense counsel during a recent hearing as they prepare to go to trial later this year.
Co-defendants Maurice Johnson and Jermaine Harris are indicted on charges including first-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting of 38-year-old Lamar Walters outside a bodega on the 2400 block of Franklin Street, NE. The homicide took place on Jan. 6, 2020. Johnson, 23, and Harris, 20, were arrested the following April.
During the two’s most recent hearing on May 9, Jason Clark and Thomas Key were appointed to replace Jon Norris as Johnson’s defense counsel. DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt scheduled a hearing to discuss DNA testing for June 17.
Harris intends to waive his right to independent DNA testing under the Innocence Protection Act. His presence is expected to be waived for the upcoming hearing.
Judge Brandt said the trial is set to begin towards the end of November. Parties agreed to potentially postpone opening arguments to Dec. 5.
Both parties said they plan to call expert witnesses outside Washington. Expert notice is due by July 29, which is also the due date for any additional defense motions.
Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating the fatal shooting of a 38-year-old man.
At approximately 9:30 p.m. on May 10, officers responded to the 2600 block of Stanton Road, SE, for the report of a shooting, according to a press release. There, they found James Curtis suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
D.C. Witness data shows an approximately 67 percent decrease in homicides in April from the previous month.
There were nine recorded homicides in April, down from the 15 homicides recorded in March and an approximate 189 percent decrease from April 2021, according to the data.
All of April’s homicide victims, except for one, died in shootings.
The majority of victims were killed in Northeast, DC.
Arrests have been made in reference to three April homicides, including the stabbing of a woman that occurred less than one year after she was charged in relation to the death of her two-month-old son.
Ladonia Boggs was killed during the early hours of April 27. Officers found the 39-year-old victim in an apartment on the 1500 block of Benning Road, NE, suffering from a stab wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene. That same day, 44-year-old Charles Jones was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed. Detectives believe the homicide was domestic in nature.
Prior to her death, Boggs was charged with tampering with physical evidence after her child, two-month-old Kyon Jones, went missing.
On May 7, 2021, officers responded to the same apartment where she’d later be found dead to conduct a welfare check. Boggs did not make representations as to her child’s whereabouts and the Metropolitan Police Department’s homicide branch took investigative responsibility for the case.
According to court documents, Boggs allegedly told detectives that she woke up to find her stomach on top of the baby, who was no longer breathing, and threw him into a dumpster outside their home.
Boggs was charged on May 15, 2021. A DC Superior Court judge allowed her to be released awaiting trial. Prosecutors have dismissed the case in response to her death.
Police also arrested a suspect in reference to the fatal shooting of 41-year-old Douglas Jerome Johnson on April 6.
Officers responded to the 4800 block of North Capitol Street, NE, that morning and found Johnson suffering from gunshot wounds. D’Andre Brewer, 25, was apprehended by responding officers and charged with first-degree murder while armed.
On May 10, a 16-year-old male suspect was arrested in reference to the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Malachi Jackson on April 11 on the 3000 block of 13th Street, NW. Jackson was the youngest homicide victim in April.
The average age of April’s homicide victim’s was approximately 33 years old. The oldest victim, 62-year-old Gregory Burton, was shot to death on April 15 on the 1500 block of Good Hope Road, SE. As of April 11, no arrest has been made in reference to his death.
A 16-year-old juvenile male suspect has been arrested in reference to the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Malachi Jackson.
At approximately 10:50 p.m. on April 11, officers responded to the 3000 block of 13th Street, NW, for the report of a shooting, according to a press release. They found Jackson there, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The suspect was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed on May 10.
