Homicide Victim’s Family Speaks During Sentencing

Rufus Davis‘ relatives implored a DC Superior Court judge to impose the maximum sentence for the man convicted of killing their family member.

On Oct. 6, 2021, Davis was found on the Unit Block of O Street, NW, suffering from gunshot wounds to the head and back. The 20-year-old was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Marcha Johnson was arrested a week later and charged with second-degree murder while armed.

The 44-year-old defendant pleaded down to voluntary manslaughter while armed, which has a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, as part of an agreement with prosecutors. The plea deal includes an agreement between parties not to request an upward or downward departure from the DC Sentencing Commission’s voluntary sentencing guidelines as they apply to the defendant.

Multiple members of the victim’s family spoke during the April 5 sentencing. A letter from the victim’s grandmother was read aloud in court. She was unable to attend her grandson’s funeral due to mobility issues.

“He didn’t deserve to die the way he did,” she stated in the letter, which concluded with her “begging for justice.”

Davis’ cousins spoke in court about the kind of person he was and how his death has affected them. One of them spoke about how he always wanted to travel. “He was always a good spirit,” she said.

The victim’s father told the court his son was just about to turn 21 years old.

“I did everything I could to protect him from that day,” he said.

One of Davis’ cousins said “nothing could suffice,” in reference to Johnson’s sentence. Davis’ father echoed that sentiment, saying “No amount of time is going to bring my son back.”

“I just want justice for my son,” he continued. “I feel like I let my son down, let my family down.”

The prosecutor asked Judge Robert Okun to pass an 18-year sentence, citing the defendant’s criminal history and video footage from the homicide that shows the defendant shooting Davis point-blank.

When given the opportunity to address the court, Johnson said, “I want to apologize to the family.”

Defense attorney Wole Falodun said her client is remorseful and hopes that the family can forgive him one day. He told the court that the victim and the defendant had a contentious relationship, as Davis had allegedly threatened to take Johnson’s life in the past. Falodun said Johnson is in a tough spot mentally and asked for the court’s mercy.

Judge Okun sentenced Johnson to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Having seen the video footage, he said the crime was brutal and heinous. In deciding on a sentence, Judge Okun said he considered both the nature of the offense and Johnson’s criminal history.

Johnson has had 10 prior convictions, most of which were for felonies, Judge Okun said. He mentioned that Davis was unarmed and the video footage did not show him instigating anything.

Judge Okun told the defendant to think about his life once he gets out and to make the best of it.

“For your sake and the community’s sake I hope you are successful,” he said.

Plea Deal Under Consideration for Man Charged in Deadly Stabbing

A plea offer is on the table for a defendant charged with second-degree murder while armed for a deadly stabbing in a commercial area of the Carver-Langston neighborhood.

Byron Brooks is accused of stabbing 43-year-old Kareem Watkins to death during the early hours of May 11, 2021. Watkins was found on the 1500 block of Maryland Avenue, NE, with a puncture wound to the left side of his chest. Brooks, 36, was apprehended in Georgia less than a month later.

During the defendant’s most recent hearing on April 4, a plea offer involving the same charge of second-degree murder while armed was brought up again.

Brooks’s defense attorney, Roderick Thompson, said there was very little discovery evidence shared since the preliminary hearing. Both parties asked for a status hearing in six weeks to gather the information and for the defense to make a final decision on the offer.

Parties are scheduled to reconvene on May 19.

Defendant Sentenced for Killing Woman in 2017 Traffic Accident

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a woman for killing 43-year-old Talata Wiliams in a 2017 car accident.

Terica Younger was scheduled to be sentenced in February, but attorneys were made aware of uncertainty within the parameters of the plea agreement and had to postpone. On March 25, parties met in court again, prepared to proceed with the sentencing.

The 41-year-old defendant was initially charged with second-degree murder for the fatal car accident, which took place on Good Hope Road, SE, on Sept. 17, 2017. When she pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and two assault charges in February 2019, Younger said she remembered drinking at a bar but not getting behind the wheel or using fentanyl, D.C. Witness previously reported. Still, she did not dispute that she was responsible for Williams’ death.

During the sentencing hearing, the prosecutor said four members of Williams’ family were in the courtroom and two of them wanted to speak.

“My family wants closure,” William’s brother said, asking Judge Milton Lee to impose the maximum sentence.

William’s younger sister spoke next.

“She was my best friend. She was so loving and kind,” she said of her older sister, describing the toll the sudden death had on herself and her family. “This lady, Ms. Younger, you have left a big hole in people’s hearts. She was in the prime of her life. She shouldn’t get no slap on the wrist.”

Judge Lee thanked both siblings before asking Younger if she would like to say anything.

Younger initially declined to speak, but her attorney, Madalyn Harvey, addressed the court. Harvey said it was very heartbreaking listening to the family, but what happened was also an accident.

”Younger’s life has been very traumatic,” Harvey said. “She’s overcome demons. Ms. Younger is terrified of serving time.”

Younger was released during her initial hearing in 2018 and was allowed to remain released awaiting sentencing after she pleaded guilty. When she failed to appear in court for a show cause hearing in June 2019, Judge Lee issued a bench warrant for her arrest. She was apprehended in August 2021 and has remained in detention ever since.

After some time silently crying, Younger spoke. “I wasn’t coming for nobody that night,” she said. “I was trying to get home to a sick dog.”

Judge Lee addressed Younger. “There is a lot of work to do in your life. There’s no reasoning whatsoever to be speeding while intoxicated,” he said. He proceeded to sentence her on one count of voluntary manslaughter and two counts of assault with significant bodily injury.

The 10-month sentences for the assault charges were suspended, but she was sentenced to serve 60 months for the manslaughter charge.

Conditions of Younger’s probation include a mental health screening, an inpatient drug treatment program, vocational housing and transitional housing.

Defendant Pleads Guilty to Deadly Stabbing in Fairlawn Neighborhood

A defendant pleaded guilty to stabbing a man to death after a car chase.

Herbert Smallwood was initially charged with first-degree murder while armed in the fatal stabbing of 46-year-old Joseph Ogunjodu on the 1600 block of 17th Place, SE, on June 30, 2021.

During his most recent hearing on April 4, Smallwood pleaded down to second-degree murder while armed.

The deadly altercation took place after the 41-year-old defendant chased Ogunjodu in a gold Hyundai Veracruz until he crashed and flipped the white Honda Fusion Ogunjodu was in.

The Hyundai Veracruz was reported stolen from the 1400 block of H Street, NE, on June 29, 2021, according to court documents. The white Ford Fusion belonged to Ogunjodu’s significant other at the time.

Prior to the plea paperwork being signed, Smallwood wanted to ask a question.

“Would this plea bargain be taken off the table if I get a second inquiry on the DNA?” he asked.

DC Superior Court Judge Milton Lee told Smallwood if he signs the paperwork he would waive his right to test any DNA, but it is not his decision to revoke the plea deal.

“It would cause a major delay of 28 weeks to get an inquiry and I did not talk to the decedent’s family,” the prosecutor said. “I cannot give a position on the matter. I would gladly give you the full case file of the DNA and let your defense expert examine them. This would take three weeks but this would be a faster alternative than the 28 weeks.”

After speaking with his attorney, Anthony Matthews, Smallwood decided to waive his right to DNA testing and go forward with the guilty plea.

Judge Lee scheduled Smallwood to be sentenced on July 7.

Document: One Dead, Another Injured in Vehicle Collision

A 47-year-old man was killed after the van he was driving collided head-on with a WMATA Metro Bus, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

At approximately 1:20 a.m. on April 3, the GMC Cargo Van was driving northbound on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE, when it crossed a yellow line and crashed into the bus, which was traveling southbound.

The driver, Demetrius Fultz, was pronounced dead at the scene. The juvenile male passenger was taken to a hospital with critical injuries. The bus’s driver remained at the scene.

Judge Denies Request for Post-Indictment Preliminary Hearing in Murder Case

A DC Superior Court judge denied a defense attorney’s request to hold a preliminary hearing for a murder defendant who was indicted in 2020.

Robert Henson is accused of shooting 37-year-old Richard Lee Dudley on Dec. 10, 2018, on the 2500 block of Elvans Road, SE. The 42-year-old defendant faces charges of first-degree murder while armed, armed robbery, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Preliminary hearings serve to determine if a case has enough evidence to go to trial. The court is generally required to conduct these hearings for felony defendants, but this requirement has an exception for defendants who, like Henson, have already been indicted.

During Henson’s most recent hearing on March 29, defense attorney David Knight requested a preliminary hearing on the basis that the defense has not received notice of discovery evidence including footage from the Metropolitan Police Department. The prosecutor opposed this request and said they need more time to review the evidence and decide what must be turned over to the defense.

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo denied the defense’s request for a preliminary hearing but ordered the prosecution to turn over materials related to the grand jury proceedings for this case by April 8.

Parties are scheduled to reconvene on June 3.

Prosecutors Call 9 Witnesses During Day 4 of Murder Trial

Nine witnesses, including civilians, members of law enforcement and forensic specialists, testified during the fourth day of a murder trial.

Marquette Jordan, 30, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 40-year-old Ivan Lynch on April 30, 2018. The homicide took place in an apartment on the 900 block of 5th Street, SE.

The March 31 proceedings started with defense attorney Elliot Queen continuing his cross-examination of a witness who knew Jordan and Lynch for years and called 911 on the day of the homicide.

This witness said he saw Jordan swing a butcher knife at Lynch, but never saw the knife go through Lynch’s body. He asked Jordan to leave the apartment and waited approximately 10 minutes before calling 911 because he “didn’t know what he might do next.” The witness said the two have fought in the past and remained friends, but this time he “didn’t think it was going to be that serious.”

The witness claimed to have seen Jordan go through Lynch’s pockets and take a pair of keys. A member of the Department of Forensic Sciences photographed Lynch’s clothing, which included a gray sweatshirt, gray sweatpants, a black t-shirt and a white tank top. Some of the clothing appeared to have blood on it. The sweatpants and sweatshirt had cuts on them. A cushion was found in an elevator lobby and a scarf was found in a hallway.

Prosecutors called three other DFS members who worked with physical and digital evidence in the case to the witness stand during the day’s proceedings. Next, they called an investigator with the Metropolitan Police Department’s homicide branch, who spoke about the events of April 30, 2018- the day Jordan was arrested.

The investigator testified that she saw an individual with two children at approximately 2:40 a.m. that day. She thought nothing of it until she received instructions over the radio to be on the lookout for an individual matching the description of the man she just saw, who turned out to be Jordan.

After turning around and coming closer to Jordan, the investigator noticed blood on his pants. Jordan was detained and the children, who she said were approximately two and four years old, were taken to Child and Family Services because they were not Jordan’s.

Jordan was not found to have any weapons on him. The investigator canvassed the area and a K9 unit was called in, but still no weapons were recovered.

During cross-examination, Queen asked the investigator how Jordan conducted himself around her. The investigator said he was not running, nor did he try to hide or elude her. During re-direct, she said Jordan gave her a fake name.

A detective with the MPD’s homicide branch took the stand and testified that he collected Jordan’s belongings after he was taken into custody and found some items that did not belong to him, including a pair of keys to a Dodge. Lynch’s sister confirmed that her brother owned a Dodge Durango when she was called to the witness stand.

Lynch’s father, who was the seventh person to testify during the day’s proceedings, said he received a package containing a wallet in the mail, which he turned over to detectives. During cross-examination, he said he did not know where the package came from or who sent it, but an elementary school was written on the top left corner.

Lynch’s sister and father saw the victim the day before he died. A barbecue took place that day for his birthday. The sister said his friends were there and that “Ivan was happy and excited, very jovial.”

The sister said she never heard Jordan’s name until after the homicide, nor had she met the individual who came to her home to offer information on her brother’s death. This witness reportedly told Lynch’s sister that someone known as “Quack” committed the stabbing.

“She was falling apart,” the sister said of the other witness. “Like she hadn’t slept. She looked like a hot mess.”

The trial is scheduled to resume on April 4.

Defendant Pleads Guilty for His Role in Robbery That Turned Deadly

A defendant pleaded guilty to murdering a man he was attempting to rob after luring him with a fake ad he posted to an online marketplace.

Deandre Houston was charged with first-degree murder while armed, armed robbery and two gun charges in the shooting of 27-year-old Roderick Thomas on the 3200 block of 12th Street, SE, on Oct. 11, 2018. On April 1, the 21-year-old defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed after making a deal with prosecutors.

On Oct. 2, 2018, Houston created an account on OfferUp, an online marketplace for individuals to buy and sell items, under the username “John.” He posted an ad to sell a laptop for $225. Thomas responded to the ad and the two agreed on a meeting place in the Congress Heights neighborhood.

The laptop did not exist. According to the prosecution, Houston and an unknown co-conspirator planned to rob him once they met up. When Thomas arrived, the two robbed him of the $225 and then demanded his car. Thomas fought back, and Houston’s co-conspirator shot him.

Houston admitted to aiding and abetting the shooter, knowing he was armed and having reason to believe he would use the gun in the robbery.

As part of the plea deal, parties agreed to recommend a prison sentence in the 10 to 14-year range.

DC Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan scheduled Houston to be sentenced on July 1.

Trial Scheduled After Defendant in 2020 Homicide Case Rejects Plea Deal

A DC Superior Court judge scheduled a murder case for trial after the defendant rejected a plea offer.

The victim, 39-year-old Edward Pearson, was discovered in an apartment on the 2900 block of Connecticut Avenue, NW, with a gunshot wound to the head on the morning of Nov. 26, 2020. Ernest Cleveland, 27, was arrested for his alleged role in Pearson’s death approximately two weeks later. Prosecutors filed a seven-count indictment against him in February.

During the most recent hearing for this case on March 29, the defendant was arraigned on charges of first-degree murder while armed, three counts of possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Cleveland pleaded not guilty and rejected the prosecution’s plea offer for reduced charges.

The defense said they needed more time to review the evidence they received from the prosecution. Judge Robert Okun scheduled a June 27 Innocence Protection Act hearing to discuss if the defense will be seeking independent DNA testing.

The trial is set to take place in March 2023.

Double Homicide Case has Enough Evidence to Go to Trial, Judge Rules

A Metropolitan Police Department detective continued his testimony on a double homicide investigation during the second day of the defendant’s preliminary hearing, which ended with a DC Superior Court judge ruling that the case has enough evidence to go to trial.

Jalen Browne, 21, faces two counts of first-degree murder while armed in the deaths of 22-year-old Jovan Hill Jr. and 19-year-old Tariq Riley. Both victims were shot in the back on the afternoon of July 26, 2021, on the grounds of an apartment complex in the Truxton Circle neighborhood. A third victim walked into a local hospital with a gunshot wound to the torso and survived their injuries.

Browne’s preliminary hearing began on March 23 and picked back up on March 29. During the second day of proceedings, defense attorney Douglas Wood continued cross-examining the detective, who said he believes the shooting occurred in retaliation for a robbery that allegedly happened on May 9 of that year in the same apartment parking lot where the shooting took place. The detective did not know what was taken during the robbery. One of the witnesses, a known associate of the victims, had no information about who was involved.

The detective said a woman was paid $100 for letting two men count money in her apartment after the robbery, but no evidence or information has come to light on who was involved.

Video footage from the day of the homicide shows an individual believed to be the shooter in a yellow hoodie, light-wash jeans, a high-visibility piece of clothing and reflective shoes. Investigators conducted a search of Browne’s family home and recovered a high-visibility vest and jacket, but neither of those items matched what the individual in the surveillance footage is wearing.

Surveillance footage also shows the vehicle allegedly used to get to and from the crime scene. The vehicle is described as a silver four-door sedan with tinted windows, a panoramic roof and a dark spoiler. During the search of Browne’s home, officers recovered a black spoiler.

Prior to the shooting, Browne was in a car accident involving a nearly identical-looking vehicle with the same license plate number as the vehicle in surveillance footage of the shooting, with no panoramic roof or spoiler.

Investigators eventually found the car seen in the surveillance footage, but could not prove Browne was driving it. They were unable to find a panoramic top or any adhesive material to suggest one had been there. The spoiler was chromatic.

A handgun was recovered from Browne’s family home, but it did not match the one believed to have been used in the homicide. The prosecution alleged that Browne received a gun from a family member in May 2020.

Wood asked the detective about the cell phone data, which suggests the phone was at Browne’s house when the homicide occurred. Multiple calls went unanswered that day.

The prosecution alleged that Browne intentionally left his phone at home to avoid his location being tracked and changed the appearance of the car to avoid suspicion. They also claimed that Browne called a family member once he got home.

Wood argued that none of the items recovered from the search identify Browne as the one who committed the homicide. He said the car was accessible to at least four other people the day before the homicide, none of whom were arrested.

Judge Robert Okun found probable cause, citing the evidence from the video footage, the vehicle, the clothing and the handling of Browne’s cell phone. He denied Wood’s request to release his client from DC Jail.

The next hearing in this case is scheduled for June 3.

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.

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