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U.S. Border Patrol Apprehends Suspect Wanted for DC Homicide

Members of the U.S. Border Patrol in Douglas, Az., apprehended a suspect wanted in reference to a March homicide.

At approximately 8:50 p.m., police responded to the 1500 block of Ogden Street, NW due to reports of an unconscious person, according to a press release. Police found 38-year-old Ramon Gomez-Yanez on the sidewalk and pronounced him dead. After an autopsy, the cause of death was ruled to be blunt force trauma. 

Alvin Cruz-Garcia, 24, was wanted on a DC Superior Court arrest warrant for second-degree murder in Gomez-Yanez’s death. He was apprehended on May 13. He is going through the extradition process,

Document: Woman Fatally Stabbed in Northeast, DC

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating the fatal stabbing of a woman in Northeast, DC.

At approximately 12:53 p.m. on May 10, officers responded to the Unit block of P Street, NE, for the report of a stabbing, according to a press release. There, they found 42-year-old Ebony Morgan suffering from an apparent stab wound and took her to a local hospital. She died on May 15.

Attorneys Prepare for Murder Trial Involving Alleged Police Leak

Attorneys are preparing for a September murder trial involving alleged gang violence and police leaks which is expected to feature testimony from more than 90 witnesses.

Derek Turner and Ronnika Jennings face charges including first-degree murder while armed, obstruction of justice and conspiracy in connection with the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Andrew McPhatter on March 5, 2017, on the 3500 block of Wheeler Road, SE. Jennings, 43, is accused of funneling criminal intelligence to Turner, 30, during her time as a clerk for the Metropolitan Police Department. Another co-defendant, Duan Hill, 33, is currently charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice. The three are scheduled to go on trial in September.

During a March 13 hearing, Hill’s defense lawyer Bruce Cooper asked DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo to modify his client’s release conditions. Currently, Hill is required to call his Pretrial Services Agency officer once a week during his release, but Cooper wanted the requirement reduced to once a month. The prosecution opposed the request, calling it unnecessary. Hill is on pretrial release while the others remain in custody.

One of the prosecutors on Hill’s case said Hill has been re-arrested for an alleged firearm possession offense since he was released from DC Jail in August 2018, but he was not prosecuted. Judge Demeo said Hill only missed one call with his PSA officer in one week and has been otherwise compliant. Still, the prosecutor argued that a weekly call was not an infringement on Hill’s personal liberty. 

“Why change something that appears to be working?” the prosecutor asked. “We’re five months from trial. I don’t see the benefit to the court of changing Mr. Hill’s conditions.”

“You are not a judge, you’re a prosecutor, so you’re not seeing it through the judge’s perception of what the law is and how to best decide a set of release conditions that would assure the safety of the community,” Judge Demeo said. “Ultimately it’s your burden to argue or assure the safety of the conditions … I have an ongoing obligation to not put on conditions that are not necessary to protect the community. How is calling once a month versus four times a month better to [sic] the community?”

Judge Demeo said weekly phone calls were different from a GPS tracker, in part because they do not bear a direct, verifiable reflection on the defendant’s behavior. The prosecutor insisted they did, and that the requirement was part of an ensemble of release conditions that was working to keep the community safe.

Judge Demeo granted Cooper’s request to reduce Hill’s reporting requirements to once a month. The prosecution said they will look into any of Hill’s arrest records from his time on pretrial release and file a motion for reconsideration.

Jury selection for this case is scheduled to take place on Sept. 6. Judge Demeo noted that there were many pending motions in the case across the three co-defendants and scheduled hearings for July 5 and July 8 to discuss the motions that required an evidentiary hearing. On the motions that don’t, Judge Demeo said she would issue a written decision from her chambers.

Jennings’ lawyer recently left the case after being tapped to become a judge. Judge Demeo appointed Russel Hairston as Jennings’ new counsel and emphasized the need for him to be caught up by the time the trial commences.

Turner, Jennings and Hill are scheduled to return to court for a status hearing on June 29. 

Turner and Jennings were charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice before they were charged with murder. Marshay Hazelwood was charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice, but her case has been dismissed. Turner is also charged with first-degree murder while armed in a separate case for the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Devin Hall on Jan. 7, 2017, on the 3500 block of 6th Street, SE. 

Document: Deadly Shooting in Northwest, DC

Metropolitan Police Department detectives are investigating a deadly shooting that occurred in Northwest, DC.

At approximately 5:26 p.m. on May 13, officers responded to the 200 block of Upshur Street, NW, for the report of a shooting. They did not find a shooting victim there but learned that someone suffering from a gunshot wound had walked into a local hospital.

The victim, 48-year-old Renard Thornton, succumbed to his injuries.

Document: Man Dies After Being Found on Metro Bus With Gunshot Wounds

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.

Document: Suspect Caught in Murder Case

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.

Plea Deal Sparks Anger from Father of Woman Killed in February

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.

Document: Maryland Man Killed in Southeast, DC

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.

Domestic Violence Defendant Decides Against Pursuing Insanity Defense

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.

Document: Suspect Arrested in Double Homicide

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.

Document: Deadly Shooting in Northeast, DC

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.

Parties Prepare to Take Quadruple Shooting Case to Trial in July

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.

Defendant Accused of Sexually Abusing 2 Children Rejects Plea Offer

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. 

Document: 19 Year Old Killed in Southwest, DC

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.