On Jan. 4, a DC Superior Court judge scheduled a hearing to determine if a murder case has enough evidence to go to trial.
Cotey Wynn is charged with second-degree murder while armed in the death of Eric Wright on Feb. 17, 2017. Wright was 53-years-old when he was fatally shot on the 900 block of 12th Street, NE.
Wynn, 39, was arrested last December. He will remain held at DC Jail while he awaits his preliminary hearing, which Judge Gerald Fisher scheduled for Feb. 4.
DC Superior Court Judge Yvonne Williams continued a murder defendant’s Jan. 4 status hearing to April 13 in hopes that an idictment will be filed by then.
Gary Massey is charged with second-degree murder while armed in the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Gregory Mayo in the early hours of March 29.
Around 1:22 a.m. that day, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to the 700 block of Alabama Avenue, SE after reports of gunshot sounds, according to a press release. There, they found Mayo inside of a vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Massey, 24, was arrested that same day.
“The investigation, on the scene, indicates that this offense was a result of a dispute between known parties,” the press release stated.
Massey will remain held while he awaits his next hearing.
Andrea Keckley wrote this article
On Jan. 4, a DC Superior Court Judge placed a domestic violence defendant on probation because he said he believes in her ability to succeed.
The defendant, an adult female, pleaded guilty to a felony charge for attempted assault and a misdemeanor charge for cruelty to animals on Nov. 3, 2020.
On Jan. 18 of 2020, the defendant got into a fight with an acquaintance and threw a knife at the victim’s face, which caused a laceration. Then, the defendant stabbed a dog, known as Kingsley, twice in the chest.
During the hearing, Judge Michael Ryan said the defendant told him that she used much more force than was necessary to defend herself in the situation. Given her statement and the prosecution’s proffer of facts, he accepted her guilty plea.
The defendant’s defense counsel, Peter Cooper, asked the judge to sentence her to the time she has already served in DC Jail with one year of probation instead of being placed on supervised release.
He requested probation over parole because of how violations or suspected violations are handled in DC. Under probation, a violation is handled by the judge who has overseen the case from beginning to sentencing, while parole violations are handled by the parole board and necessitate immediate incarceration before review.
The prosecution differed only slightly from the defense’s request, asking for parole instead of probation.
The prosecutor said the defendant had already been on probation twice and failed both times for DUI and destruction of property convictions. The prosecutor said parole would be more appropriate.
Judge Ryan weighed both sides but ultimately agreed with defense counsel to allow the defendant to be placed on probation.
“I do see this assault as a serious one. I also see this as an opportunity for a person to change. It is a significant period of time that she has been incarcerated,” said Judge Ryan, noting that the defendant has been on lockdown for the majority of her time at DC Jail due to COVID-19.
“In my mind, the most important thing for you, is that you need to take a domestic violence intervention program,” he said. He also referred to her use of alcohol, which seems to be an underlying issue in her cases.
The prosecution mentioned that there is no victim impact statement because the victim did not want to “re-hash the emotional and traumatic experience.”
The defendant apologized to the victim and everyone else she hurt. “I’m ready to move forward and focus on my future,” mentioning her career and her daughter.
For the attempted assault charge, Judge Ryan sentenced the defendant to 15 months of incarceration, all of which were suspended except for the time the defendant has already served.
He also ordered one year of supervised probation, with conditions to complete a domestic violence intervention program, alcohol and substance abuse testing and treatment, mental health evaluation and treatment, as dictated by the assessment and pay $150 to the Crime Victims Fund.
For the cruelty to animals misdemeanor, the judge sentenced the defendant to 90 days, which has already been served.
“I expect you to have the ability to succeed, or I wouldn’t take you on for probation,” Judge Ryan said.
A review hearing was set for April 7 to make sure the defendant has enrolled in the appropriate programming.
D.C. Witness data shows that there were 13 homicides in Washington, DC in December of 2020, nearly a 28 percent decline from the month before.
Twelve of the homicides resulted from shootings with 11 of the victims listed as males in their 20s and 30s, including Timothy Logan, Maurice Johnson, Devonte Wilson, Nathaniel Ford, Anthony Orr, Kelvin Gross, Duane Woolfolk, Vincent Gyamfi, Antoine Pierce, Tyree Brox, and William Johnson. The fatal shootings also included a one-year-old boy, Carmelo Duncan, and a 24-year-old female, Shalonte Pearson.
According to D.C. Witness data, more than half of the month’s homicides occurred in Ward 7.
The police have apprehended four suspects in the homicides.
There have been 205 homicides in DC in 2020 with four of those murders resulting from vehicular homicides, according to D.C. Witness data.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating a second homicide that occurred on Jan. 3.
At around 11:23 a.m., police responded to the 2800 block of Alabama Avenue, SE for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds.
The victim, identified as 22 year-old Joseph Simmons from Southeast, DC, was pronounced dead on the scene.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating a homicide that occurred on Jan. 3.
At approximately 2:31 a.m., police responded to the 3800 block of Wheeler Road, SE for the sound of gunshots.
Upon arrival, officers located an adult female inside a vehicle suffering from gunshot wounds on the 900 block of Wahler Place, SE.
The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment, but she succumbed to her wounds and was pronounced dead.
The victim has been identified as 22 year-old Kaailyah Rainey of Southeast, DC.
A suspect incarcerated at DC Jail on a first-degree murder while armed charge picked up that charge again in connection with a homicide that happened on June 16, 2019.
At around 1:15 a.m. that day, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to the 4300 block of 4th Street, SE for the report of gunshots.
There, they found 30 year-old Arkeem Jackson, unconscious and not breathing, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Officers also found an adult female victim, conscious and breathing, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. She was taken to an area hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.
Davonte Brothers, 26, was charged on Dec. 31. He is awaiting trial for his other case, in which he is charged in the death of 27 year-old Deron Leake on Dec. 17, 2019 on the 4200 Block of 6th Street, SE.
According to a press release, Brothers has an arrest history that includes assault on a police officer, assault with intent to kill, possession of unregistered ammunition, assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a prohibited weapon.
The death of 64 year-old William Johnson was ruled a homicide after he succumbed to injuries he sustained in April on Dec. 16.
An autopsy determined the cause of death to be complications from blunt force trauma.
At around 5:40 a.m. on April 7, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to the 3200 block of G Street, SE for the report of a man down. There, they found Johnson unconscious and unresponsive. He was admitted to the hospital in critical condition.
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) seek the public’s help identifying the suspect of an assault with intent to commit robbery offense that happened on Dec. 29.
At around 9:50 p.m. that day, the suspect approached the victim on the 1300 block of T Street, NW. The suspect then brandished a handgun, demanded the victim’s property, assaulted the victim and then fled the scene without obtaining property.
The victim was treated for minor injuries. The suspect was captured by a surveillance camera.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested a suspect in connection with a homicide that happened on Nov. 5.
At around 7:18 p.m. that day, officers responded to the 1600 block of E Street, NE for the report of a stabbing.
There, they found 31 year-old Vondell Hatton suffering from an apparent stab wound. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
On Dec. 30, 34 year-old Vincent Bigsby was arrested for first-degree murder while armed.
According to a press release, Bigsby has an arrest history that includes assault on a police officer, simple assault, no permit, unauthorized use of a vehicle, disorderly conduct and parole violation.
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives seek the public’s help a suspect in connection with a second-degree theft and assault with a dangerous weapon offense that happened on the morning of Dec. 29.
At around 6:53 a.m., the suspect entered an establishment on the 3000 block of 14th Street, NW and took property, according to a press release. When an employee intervened, the suspect brandished a knife and cut the employee. The victim was treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The suspect fled the scene with property. They were captured by a surveillance camera.
For the last five years D.C. Witness has tracked every homicide in D.C. as the homicide rate has increased by about 15% each year.
During the pandemic, we expanded our coverage to all the crime all the time when the courts closed and trials were delayed.
This spring a tsunami of homicide cases are projected to hit D.C. Superior court as soon as the doors fully open and D.C. Witness commits to covering every one of them.
But, we think that is not enough. We are looking to raise $50,000 by January 1 to fund our operations and expand our coverage to sexual assault and domestic violence cases. Domestic violence is the unspoken crime that increased 142% this summer.
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On Dec. 30, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers arrested a suspect in connection with the homicide of a Maryland resident.
On Dec. 21 at about 2:32 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of 51st Street and Bass Place, SE for a vehicle stopped in the roadway.
They found 25 year-old Tyree Brox inside a vehicle suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Rashad Winston, 24, was arrested for first-degree murder while armed (felony murder.)
Winston has prior arrests that include carrying a pistol without a license, robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon, according to a press release.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) arrested a suspect in connection with the fatal shooting of a Maryland resident on Oct. 9.
At around 11:22 p.m. that day, officers responded to the 2400 block of Elvans Road, SE for the sound of gunshots.
There, they found 41 year-old Eugene Miller suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on scene.
Marvin Smith, 29, was arrested on Dec. 29. He has a prior arrest history that includes armed Robbery , Robbery, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of unregistered ammunition, unlawful possession of a firearm, felon in possession, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives are asking for the public’s help identifying and locating a suspect in connection with robbery and misdemeanor sex abuse offenses that happened on Dec. 26.
The suspect approached the victim inside a residential building on the 1700 block of Columbia Road, NW at around 8:27 p.m., according to a press release. The suspect then engaged in unwanted sexual contact with the victim while taking the victim’s property before fleeing the scene.
The suspect was captured by a surveillance camera.
