Judge Sentences Man for Stabbing Former Marine to Death

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a defendant for stabbing a former marine to death in downtown Washington.

During the early hours of May 23, 2018, Kavonte Richardson stabbed 26-year-old Matthew Scott Rooker multiple times while attempting to steal his backpack, according to the prosecution. The homicide occurred on the 600 block of 7th Street, NW.

“We think about him every day,” said a member of Rooker’s family. “I think that knowing who he was is helpful. He was funny, he was kind-hearted, he had a vivid imagination. He was smart he loved his family. He knew what hardship was.”

Richardson, 28, was indicted on charges of felony murder while armed, armed robbery and carrying a dangerous weapon. In August 2021, he accepted a plea offer for second-degree murder while armed. As part of the plea deal, parties agreed to recommend a 15-year prison sentence, which Judge Marisa Demeo imposed during the March 30 sentencing hearing.

During the proceedings, family members implored Judge Demeo to pass a harsher sentence.

“We were given a life sentence without having a trial or talks or meetings or anything going on with this,” the victim’s wife said. “We don’t feel it’s fair. Each day comes with new challenges. I am a prisoner in my own home.”

Richardson did not make a statement, but his lawyer, Mani Golzari, said his client is remorseful for his conduct.

The defendant’s 15-year prison sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release.

Jury Finds Defendant Guilty of First-Degree Murder While Armed in 2014 Stabbing

One day after attorneys delivered closing arguments, a jury found Mark Bowser guilty of murdering Tracy Womack in a Marshall Heights neighborhood apartment complex nearly eight years ago.

Womack was 39-years-old when she was stabbed more than 40 times on Sept. 20, 2014. Bowser, 39, was arrested the next day.

On March 30, the jury found Bowser guilty of first-degree murder while armed, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a dangerous weapon and two counts of obstruction of justice. Bowser was found not guilty of one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.

During the trial, prosecutors called a DNA analyst who testified that DNA from blood found on the defendant’s shirt was a match for Womack. They presented surveillance footage of Bowser leaving the apartment covered in blood, knife in hand. They also called several witnesses who spoke to the events surrounding the murder.

Defense attorney Dorsey Jones sought to cast doubt on the witnesses’ reliability, noting how the other people in the apartment at the time were high or drunk. He also pointed to instances where witnesses contradicted statements they made in prior years. The prosecutor argued it would be more suspicious if the witnesses remembered every detail.

A prosecutor said Womack and Bowser had been seen together before the murder, fondling and kissing. Police reported Womack was found with some of her clothes pulled down. The prosecution suggested this could shed light on Bowser’s motive, though he did not face any sexual abuse charges.

After the jury delivered their verdict, Bowser was sent back to DC Jail. DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee scheduled him to be sentenced on June 10.

Judge Sets New Trial Date for Man Charged in Child’s Fatal Shooting

A DC Superior Court judge set a retrial date for the defendant charged in 11-year-old Karon Brown‘s death after his first trial ended with a partial verdict.

Tony McClam was indicted on seven counts including first-degree murder while armed in reference to the shooting, which took place on July 18, 2019. During his first trial, the prosecution alleged that McClam brought a gun to an altercation between two groups of kids, including McClam’s nephew, who he was attempting to discipline. After a man in a vehicle with Karon in the back seat confronted McClam, the prosecution says he fired at the vehicle, striking and killing the child.

The defense did not dispute that McClam fired the fatal shot but presented a countertheory as to why he did. Defense attorney Jason Tulley argued his client never saw Karon in the vehicle, which he fired at in defense of himself and the children he was escorting home after the driver allegedly threatened him and sped towards him.

Tulley told the jury McClam has vision problems in his left eye and was purposely trying to miss the driver when he fired his weapon so he could scare him off without striking him.

After approximately five days of deliberations, a jury found the defendant not guilty of first-degree murder while armed, but could not come to a decision on the lesser homicide offenses of second-degree murder while armed and voluntary manslaughter while armed. Jurors convicted him of carrying a pistol without a license, but could not decide on a verdict for any of the other charges in the indictment.

During a March 30 hearing, the prosecution requested a new trial date. Both parties expect the trial to last two weeks barring any complications.

Judge Maribeth Raffinan scheduled the trial to take place in December. In the meantime, defense counsel plans to file a motion for McClam’s release from DC Jail.

Domestic Homicide Defendant Accepts Plea Deal for Murder of Pregnant Woman in January

A defendant accepted a plea deal for the murder of a pregnant woman in January.

On Jan. 19, 27-year-old Sierra Johnson was in the driver’s seat of her car, stopped at a red light on the 2500 block of Georgia Avenue, NW. Joseph Fox was in the front passenger seat.

According to the prosecution, Fox pulled out a silver handgun and fired at Johnson four times. Her two children were in the car, both of whom were less than five years old. Bullets were found lodged into the children’s car seats.

Fox, 27, took a plea deal for one count of second-degree murder and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. The prosecutor and defense attorney, Elizabeth Weller, agreed to recommend a prison sentence between 14 and 21 years.

Fox pleaded guilty during a March 29 hearing. After he did so, Johnson’s mother addressed the court.

Reading from a note, the victim’s mother said the murder did not make sense to her. She choked up describing her daughter’s life and how great of a mother she was. She asked DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee why Fox was pleading guilty to second-degree murder when the crime seemed more like first-degree murder to her.

While Judge Milton Lee gently advised her to confer with the prosecuting attorney about the charges in the plea, he told her he would take her statement and any future victim impact testimony into consideration when deciding on a sentence. He inquired on the family’s availability when looking for a sentencing date, which he set for June 17.

After Four Days of Trial, a 2014 Murder Case was Handed to the Jury

Mark Bowser is accused of stabbing 39-year-old Tracy Womack more than 40 times during the early hours of Sept. 20, 2014, in an apartment on the 4600 Block of Benning Road, SE. After four days of trial, his case was handed off to the jury.

Attorneys in the case delivered their closing arguments on the fourth day of Bowser’s trial. The 39-year-old defendant is charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a dangerous weapon and obstruction of justice. With jurors out of the courtroom, defense attorney Dorsey Jones argued his motion for a judgment of acquittal on all charges.

Jones said no one saw his client kill Womack and the witness Bowser allegedly assaulted did not have a direct view of him. The prosecutor shot back, saying they have a witness who claims to have seen the defendant walk into the bedroom where Womack was found after the stabbing.

DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee denied Jones’ motions.

The jury then was called in for a biology lesson from the prosecutor’s final witness. This witness, a DNA analyst, continued her testimony from the previous day. She said DNA from three people was found on Bowser’s shirt, including a match for Womack.

The witness said there was a one in 1.5 sextillion chance that the blood could belong to a random white person, a one in 120 quintillion chance it could belong to a random Black person and a one in 410 quintillion chance it could belong to a random Hispanic person.

The other DNA samples are believed to have belonged to Bowser and an unknown individual. Blood was also found on Bowser’s jeans; however, the witness said there weren’t enough alleles on the blood sample to meet the threshold required for reliable testing.

During his cross-examination, Jones challenged the witness by discussing DNA transfer. Humans can shed DNA, and Jones asked if someone who opened a door and touched his tie may get the DNA of the previous person who touched the doorknob on his tie.

The witness said this was true. She later confirmed to the prosecution that Jones’ hypothetical would involve skin cells, which are not visible to the naked eye. After completing their re-direct examination, the prosecution rested their case.

Bower’s defense counsel did not call any witnesses.

During closing arguments, the prosecutor crafted an image of the day Womack died. She said it was a regular day, up until the moment Bowser entered Womack’s bedroom. She reminded the jurors of the first witness they called, who said she heard the two fighting, including a cry of “you cut me, you stabbed me,” from Womack.

Two other witnesses reportedly ran to the apartment, trying to intervene. All of the witnesses picked Bowser out of a photo lineup, using a nickname associated with the defendant.

The prosecutor said surveillance footage shows Bowser leaving the apartment covered in blood and holding a knife. He was arrested the next day wearing the same clothing.

The prosecutor also mentioned that Bowser and Womack had been seen together, fondling and kissing. When she was found, some of her clothes were pulled down. Though Bowser is not facing sexual abuse charges, the prosecutor argued this may shed light on Bowser’s alleged motive.

The final part of her closing statement focused on a letter Bowser sent his ex-wife, which prompted the obstruction of justice charge.

The prosecutor said the letter was sent from DC Jail using a fake name and a fake address, stating, “those b******,” referring to two witnesses, were “lying on my name.” She continued reading from the letter, in which Bowser tells his ex-wife to instruct a friend to give the witness some water, which the prosecutor alleged meant PCP. The letter also featured a drawn-out map, allegedly showing where a witness could be found.

“I ask you to bring the only verdict consistent with the evidence as guilty on all counts,” the prosecutor said.

Jones maintained that his client made no explicit plans to obstruct justice in the letter. During his closing arguments, Jones reminded the jury that the main witness, who claims she saw Bowser enter Womack’s room, was high on PCP at the time.

Jones recalled all the times witnesses had to be reminded of things they said about the homicide in previous years that contradicted their testimony at trial. The prosecutor countered this by noting that the homicide happened more than seven years ago, arguing it would be more suspicious if they remembered every detail.

Still, Jones pointed out testimony that another person was in the apartment at the time, who the prosecutor did not call because he was drunk when the homicide happened.

“It is not the defense’s burden to prove the client as innocent it is the prosecution’s burden to prove him guilty,” Jones said, asking the jury to find his client not guilty on all counts.

Judge Lee read the jurors their jury instructions before dismissing them for the day. They are scheduled to begin deliberating on March 30.

Murder Defendant Set to Go on Trial in 2024

A DC Superior Court judge scheduled a murder defendant to go on trial in 2024.

On the afternoon of June 28, 2020, Metropolitan Police Department officers found 20-year-old Antwon Duncan on a sidewalk in front of the 2600 block of Birney Place, SE. He had been shot multiple times. Less than a month after Duncan’s death, 21-year-old Diamante Butler was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed. He has remained at DC Jail ever since.

During a March 29 hearing, defense attorney Jason Tulley said his client is rejecting the prosecutor’s plea offer, and the prosecutor has rejected the defense’s counter offer.

Both parties requested a trial date. Judge Robert Okun set it for the earliest possible date in February 2024. He also scheduled an Oct. 21 hearing to discuss DNA testing.

Murder Trial Continues into Day 3

A murder trial centered on a fatal stabbing that occurred nearly eight years ago continued into its third day.

Mark Bowser, 39, is on trial for the death of 39-year-old Tracy Womack on Sep. 20, 2014, in an apartment on the 4600 block of Benning Road, SE.

Prosecutors called multiple witnesses during the March 28 proceedings, including Bowser’s ex-wife. She was asked about letters and cards the defendant sent her from DC Jail.

Bowser is being charged with obstruction of justice for a letter he sent his ex-wife, which prosecutors allege communicated a plan to stop some witnesses from testifying, D.C. Witness previously reported. During the first day of the trial, defense attorney Dorsey Jones argued that the letter does not contain evidence of obstruction of justice because there is nothing blatantly stated about preventing testimony.

A mail clerk at the DC Jail took to the witness stand. She said an outgoing letter sent by the defendant was flagged and investigated because the return address did not match his DCDC number, which is processed upon a person’s arrest. The letter allegedly contained the names of two witnesses and a drawn-out map.

A friend and a family member of Womack’s also testified about what they remember from the day of the stabbing.

Two people involved in the investigation into Womack’s death took the stand- the lead detective on the case and a DNA analyst.

The trial is scheduled to resume on March 29.

Murder Trial Continues Into First Day of Witness Testimony

A murder trial continued with prosecutors calling five people to the witness stand. The witnesses included the victim’s ex-wife, three police officers and a crime scene technician.

The defendant, Marquette Jordan, is accused of stabbing 48-year-old Ivan Lynch to death in an apartment complex on the 900 block of 5th Street, SE.

“Your day in court has arrived,” DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt told Jordan during the March 28 proceedings.

Following the jury selection on March 24, attorneys delivered their opening arguments. Prosecutors are seeking to prove the 30-year-old defendant guilty of first-degree murder while armed, armed robbery, threat to kidnap or injure a person, assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a dangerous weapon and simple assault.

Lynch was killed during the early hours of April 30, 2018. He and his ex-wife ended a 15-year marriage shortly before the homicide. The ex-wife testified that on the day before his death, Lynch was at his friend’s house with their two sons.

The prosecution’s first law enforcement witness was one of three officers who responded to the stabbing. When he arrived at the scene, the officer heard yelling in an elevator but could not make out what was being said. When he and his partners arrived at the apartment, they encountered a friend of Jordan’s, who said the apartment was his mother’s. He was placed in handcuffs to secure the scene but was not being considered a suspect. No blood was observed on him, the witness said. Another responding officer said the distressed man was put in handcuffs in an effort to de-escalate the situation.

The first officer confirmed to defense attorney Elliot Queen that his unit was dispatched for a simple assault, not a homicide. A prosecutor then asked him if dispatch sometimes gets it wrong, which he said was true. Queen asked one of the officers if the dispatcher upgraded the simple assault to a homicide at any point. The officer answered, “no”.

The prosecution displayed images from an officer’s body-worn camera of a witness who had a personal relationship with Jordan at the time. One image showed her sitting on a bench while holding a pillow and another image showed her bleeding from her nose and forearm. The last image showed her wearing no shoes, with spots of blood on the pillow she held.

A soundless video clip from the body-worn camera showed an officer talking with the woman. He testified that she had tears in her eyes and was shaking and crying.

Jordan was arrested on the same day as the homicide. A crime scene technician with the Department of Forensic Sciences took pictures of Jordan and the two witnesses. She said material suspected of being blood could be seen on the defendant’s clothing. The keys to Lynch’s Dodge Ram Truck were also found on Jordan.

Queen asked the technician if blood was found on her client’s hands. The technician denied this.

The defense made the court aware that they were in favor of having a mistrial. The defense believes the jury may have seen the ankle shackles the defendant wore during jury selection. Judge Brandt said she would address this during the next day’s proceedings, which were scheduled for March 29.

Defendant Pleads Guilty to Deadly Congress Heights Shooting

A 31-year-old defendant pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a man in a commercial area of the Congress Heights neighborhood.

On Oct. 6, 2018, 26-year-old Marquis Jones was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds on the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE. Tondrick Murphy was indicted on charges of first-degree murder while armed, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm.

During a March 28 hearing, Murphy pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm as part of a deal he made with the prosecution.

The defense and prosecution agreed that an appropriate sentence for the manslaughter charge would be seven years in prison, with all but five-and-a-half of those years suspended, followed by three years of supervised probation. For the firearm charge, parties agreed to recommend a 28-month sentence, with all but 20 of those months suspended, followed by three years of supervised probation. The sentences would be recommended to run concurrent.

By entering into this plea agreement, Murphy waived certain rights to have a trial and directly appeal his convictions.

Murphy previously rejected a plea offer for voluntary manslaughter while armed and a trial was scheduled to take place in April. Those dates were canceled in light of the plea.

DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee scheduled Murphy to be sentenced on June 3.

Judge Finds Probable Cause for Defendants Accused of Deadly Robbery

A Metropolitan Police Department detective took the witness stand to shed light on his investigation into an alleged robbery that turned deadly. A DC Superior Court judge ultimately ruled that the cases against the defendants has enough evidence to go to trial.

Malik Bynum, Larry White and Mark Fletcher are charged with first-degree murder while armed in the death of 21-year-old Rosendo Miller, who sustained eight gunshot wounds on the night of July 2, 2021. The homicide took place on the 1300 block of Brentwood Road, NE. According to court documents, the group was robbing Miller when something sounding like a gunshot rang out and a short time later, Miller was shot multiple times.

White left the courtroom after his attorney, Daniel Dorsey, said the defendant was waiving his right to a preliminary hearing. Dorsey said they viewed the evidence and decided it was in their best interests not to attend.

After White left, the lead detective on the case was called to give his testimony. The prosecutor showed images of the suspects near the crime scene.

The detective said there were cameras located throughout the area where Miller was killed. The video footage shows the defendants wearing clothing that the detective said matched what they were wearing when they were arrested. He said they also had some of Miller’s belongings.

The prosecutor gave a warning to friends and family about the graphic nature of the picture they showed. In it, Miller could be seen held down by two men, with a third holding a gun to his head. Items allegedly stolen from Miller included a satchel and a Rolex watch covered in diamonds.

At the request of Malik’s lawyer, Pierce Suen, Judge Maribeth Raffinan ordered the prosecution to turn over Body Worn Camera footage from the day of the arrest to the defense by the next court date.

During cross-examination, the detective confirmed to Suen that he had two sustained internal affairs complaints against him. Suen also asked for these to be turned over.

Then, they moved on to who fired the first shot. Suen asked if one of the witnesses could have been the first shooter. He had just been out of sight of the surveillance cameras.

“From the CCTV, it is a possibility,” the detective said.

The surveillance footage appears to show Bynum shooting away from Miller, towards where the first shot was fired. “From this, we can say that Bynum did not shoot the fatal shot that killed Miller?” Suen asked.

“It appears so,” the detective responded.

The prosecutor alleged that the defendants, after seeing what Miller was wearing, grabbed weapons and ski masks before attacking Miller as he exited a store.

“This is a textbook example of felony murder,” said the prosecutor.

Judge Raffinan asked the prosecutor to explain her rationale for the felony murder charge. The prosecutor explained how the robbery was the underlying felony in this case, so the defendants did not need to kill Miller themselves to be charged with felony murder. They simply had to be responsible for the unreasonable circumstances in which Miller was killed.

After Judge Raffinan found probable cause, Suen and Fletcher’s attorney, Thomas Healy, asked for their clients to be released into the High Intensity Supervision Program.

Suen explained that while his client had been on release for a gun charge in Maryland, he has family who would support him if he were placed on house arrest.

Healy explained that while Fletcher has prior misdemeanor charges against him, “he has grown a lot in the past six months” and would be willing to do whatever he can to prove this to the court.

The two’s criminal history and the current charges prompted Judge Raffinan to deny both release requests. Parties are set to reconvene for a felony status conference on May 27.

Man Arraigned on 14 Charges in Triple Shooting That Killed 2

A man accused of shooting three women, killing two of them, was arraigned on 14 charges.

Keanan Turner is alleged to have fatally shot 48-year-old Wanda Wright and her 32-year-old daughter, Ebony Wright, in a Skyland neighborhood apartment complex on April 12, 2021. He is also accused of shooting another family member in the face that evening. She survived her injuries and Turner, 32, was arrested four days later.

During a March 25 hearing, the defendant was arraigned on two counts of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, attempted first-degree murder of a minor, arson, second-degree cruelty to children, assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, four counts of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, destruction of property less than $1,000, carrying a pistol without a license and tampering with physical evidence.

Turner pleaded not guilty to all charges.

A prosecutor said they are offering the defendant a plea deal for two counts of second-degree murder, one count of assault with intent to kill and one count of cruelty to children. Defense attorneys Franz Jobson and K Wellington said Turner would consider the offer and give his decision at a later date.

The plea offer expires on May 12, when parties are scheduled to reconvene for a status hearing.

DC Homicides are Focused in Southeast, Data Shows

This heatmap covers homicides from the beginning of 2018 to the end of 2021. Data indicates homicides have increased over the last four years, rising by an average of 4.9% each month. A plurality of these homicides took place in Southeast, DC.

Witnesses Describe Aftermath of Deadly 2014 Stabbing During Trial

Eyewitnesses in a murder trial described the aftermath of a 2014 altercation that left a woman dead from more than 40 stab wounds, with their statements facing the scrutiny of a defense attorney who compared them to what was said in prior years. Two experts also took the stand.

Mark Bowser, 42, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 39-year-old Tracy Womack to death on Sept. 20, 2014, in an apartment on the 4600 block of Benning Road, SE.

The second day of Womack’s trial began with defense attorney Dorsey Jones cross-examining one of the prosecution’s eyewitnesses. Jones sought to point out inconsistencies between her current testimony and what she said in 2014, as he went on to do with other eyewitnesses who took the stand during the March 24 proceedings.

During re-direct examination, a prosecutor asked this witness if she watched any videos or read any transcripts from the grand jury proceedings. The witness said she did not.

The second witness knew Womack and Bowser for approximately four years. After the stabbing, he arrived at the apartment to find Womack’s son in shock.

A childhood friend of Womack’s son testified that he was with his friend when someone informed him something had happened to his mother. After learning this, the two went back to the crime scene, which the witness described as very hectic, filled with yelling and screaming. The witness said he tried to convince his friend to stay in the car but was unsuccessful.

Video footage shows the witness who knew the victim and defendant for several years arriving at the crime scene as others ran out of the apartment. He tried to break a stool in an attempt to defend himself and keep Bowser at the scene after the defendant exited the apartment, allegedly holding a knife.

“I never saw him act violent nor did I see any blood on Piggy,” the witness said. “When I ran back to the apartment he did have a knife in his hand as he was coming down the stairs.”

During cross-examination, Jones pointed out how in 2014, the witness said he left Womack’s place to go to a party in the second court of the apartment complex, but during the trial, he said he went to his relative’s house, which is in a different court.

Jones also pointed out contradictions in current and previous statements made by the friend of Womack’s son. During the trial, this witness said that as he sat in the car, he saw someone with a knife in their hand running across the street towards Fletch Hill, SE. He could see the glair off the knife from the street lights.

“In 2014, you said that you saw someone walking across the street not running, correct?” Jones asked.

“No. It was someone running sir,” the witness responded.

“Well, back in 2014, based on the grand jury transcripts, you testified that as you were sitting in your car you saw someone walking across the street,” Jones said.

Two expert witnesses testified— a forensic DNA analyst who tested evidence in the case and a medical examiner who performed Womack’s autopsy.

The analyst worked for Bode Technology in 2014 and tested the defendant’s clothing for blood using serology testing. Multiple spots came back positive for blood.

“Bleach, animal blood and food processing are some of the things that can cause a positive test, but it is very rare that these items would contaminate evidence,” she said. “That is why we do not further test once we get a positive screening.”

The medical examiner said Womack was stabbed 47 times. According to court documents, the victim sustained stab wounds to the face, back, chest, abdomen, arms and both hands. The medical examiner said some of these injuries were defensive wounds.

Jones asked her if someone stabbed that many times would be spewing a lot of blood, but the medical examiner said that much of Womack’s bleeding was internal.

Jurors were instructed to return to court on Aug. 28.

DC Homicide Count Lower in First Quarter of 2022 Compared to Same Period in 2021

There have been slightly fewer homicides between Jan. 1 and March 27 of 2022 compared to the same time period in 2021, according to D.C. Witness data.

Jury Decisions in Murder Trials Stagnate

Six murder trials have concluded in the DC Superior Court since the suspension of jury trials due to the COVID-19 pandemic was lifted. The court did not hold jury trials for more than a year until the first one began in July 2021. That trial ended with a jury convicting two men of murdering 37-year-old Christopher Heard.

The six trials have ended in three ways–– mistrial, a guilty verdict or the defendant being acquitted.

This graphic does not account for two ongoing murder trials in the court.

One of the mistrials was for Tony McClam, who prosecutors accused of murdering 11-year-old Karon Brown. A jury acquitted him of first-degree murder while armed but could not reach a verdict on lesser homicide charges of second-degree murder while armed and voluntary manslaughter while armed. The jury convicted McClam of carrying a pistol without a license but could not reach a decision on any other charges filed against the defendant.

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