Additional Reward Offered in Search for Two Murder Suspects

An additional monetary reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of two men suspected in the murder of an 11-year-old boy.

Carlo General, 19, and Marcel Gordon, 25, are wanted for the first-degree murder while armed of Davon McNeal, who was fatally shot on July 4 on the 1400 block of Cedar Street, SE, which is located in the Anacostia neighborhood of DC.

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) offers a reward of up to $25,000 for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person or persons involved in a DC homicide.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division has offered an additional $25,000 and the FBI Washington Field Office has offered an additional $5,000 for the arrest and conviction of the suspects wanted in this case.

On top of that, the U.S. Marshals Capital Area Regional Task Force has offered up to $10,000 for each suspect for information leading to their arrest.

Daryle Bond, 18, and Christian Wingfield, 22, were arrested July 9 and 10, respectively, for first-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting.

DC Police do not think that McNeal or anyone in his family was a target.

MPD Investigating Homicide in Southeast, DC

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detectives are investigating a homicide that occurred on July 16.

At around 10:11 p.m., police responded to a reported shooting on the 400 block of 33rd Street, SE, which is located in the Greenway neighborhood of DC. There, officers found an adult male with gunshot wounds in a residential building. He was taken to a hospital, but was ultimately pronounced dead.

Police are withholding the victim’s identity until they can notify his next of kin.

Judge Sentences Defendant to Five Years of Incarceration

On July 17, a DC Superior Court judge sentenced an involuntary manslaughter defendant to five years in prison plus five years of probation.

Edward Banks, who is also known as Michael Banks, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter of Abraham Binn on Feb 24. Banks and Binn were staying in the same shelter on the 2700 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Ave, SE when, on Aug. 19, Binn was intoxicated and urinating on a wall within the shelter when Banks struck him, knocking him to the ground and causing swelling and bleeding on the brain.

Binn was declared dead two days later.

Banks was originally charged with second-degree murder, but as part of a plea deal with the prosecution, his charge was amended to involuntary manslaughter.

Both parties recommended that Banks be incarcerated for the involuntary manslaughter minimum of five years, accompanied by five years of probation afterward.

“I’ve known him [Banks] to be extremely patient, kind, caring and extremely appreciative of the work I’ve done for him,” said defense attorney Ieshaah Murphy.

Banks is a participant in a lawsuit against DC Jail by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) regarding the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Judge Juliet McKenna also recommended that Banks continue to receive substance abuse and alcohol treatment, along with participation in vocational, educational and mental health services.

“It is clear that Banks was acting impulsively,” said Judge McKenna.

Crime Alerts: July 16-17

From 11 p.m. on July 16 to 9 a.m. on July 17, the Metropolitan Police Department sent out four crime alerts.

The most recent alert was sent at 5:24 a.m. for an armed carjacking on the 1300 block of Good Hope Road, SE. Police are looking for two Black males with medium builds and 5’5″ in height. One of the suspects is wearing a grey shirt and has a bald head. The driver is believed to be armed with a handgun. A dark colored 2020 Town & Country minivan bearing MD tags of 2EE9974 was taken.

An alert was sent at 3:22 a.m. for a robbery on the 300 block of 8th Street, SE. Police are looking for two Black males, both wearing dark clothing. They were last seen on 8th Street, SE.

An alert for a shooting was sent at 2:05 a.m. on the unit block of Walnut Street, NW. Police do not have a description of the suspect.

The final alert was sent at 1:34 a.m. for a robbery on the 600 block of Irving Street, NW. Police are looking for a Black male, 5’8″, 50-60 years old, wearing a black hat, black t-shirt and jeans.

If you know anything about these incidents, please call 911.

Judicial Summons to be Issued for Defendant Who Failed to Appear

A DC Superior Court judge said he will issue a judicial summons for a defendant who did not show up to his hearing.

In April of 2019, Marcus Mathes was convicted of second-degree theft for stealing a woman’s property on Feb. 3, 2019 on the 1400 block of 14th Street, NW. He was sentenced under the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA) to 15 days time suspended plus one year of supervised probation that could be changed to unsupervised in six months at the discretion of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA.)

Mathes was scheduled to appear in court on July 17 for an amended sentencing agreement review, which was scheduled to address the defense’s application to have his conviction set aside in accordance with YRA guidelines. However, he did not appear, and Defense Attorney Daniel Kovler was unable to get in touch with him.

Judge Craig Iscoe continued the hearing to Aug. 28.

Judge Orders Defendant to Come into Compliance with Release Conditions

DC Superior Court Judge Gerald Fisher ordered a defendant who was a loss of contact for over seven months to come into compliance with the conditions of his pretrial release.

Darrion Bullock was brought before the court in three cases on July 17. He is charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of a prohibited weapon, unlawful entry onto private property and simple assault.

As a condition of his release, Bullock is supposed to call the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) once a week. However, he has had no contact with them since Dec. 9, 2019

Joseph McCoy, Bullock’s attorney, told Judge Fisher that Bullock’s homelessness has made it difficult for him to maintain access to a cell phone and has caused him to frequently lose his paperwork. He said his client hopes to have stable housing soon.

McCoy also said that while Bullock has not been in touch with the PSA, he has been in regular contact with the wellness center where he receives mental health treatment.

However, the prosecution said that, while Bullock has reconnected with the wellness center, the details of his most recent case, in which he is charged with simple assault and the possession of a prohibited weapon, show “fairly disturbing conduct.”

On June 27, Bullock allegedly assaulted a man with a wooden stick inside a gas station on the 4300 block of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE. According to court documents, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers say the defendant told them the assault was in response to the victim “disrespecting his family.”

The prosecution expressed concern that if Bullock is still involved in such offenses after he has begun receiving mental health treatment, his treatment plan may be insufficient.

Judge Fisher ordered Bullock to sign a release with the wellness center authorizing the PSA to assess his mental health records. He was also ordered to contact the PSA by the end of the day and maintain that contact going forward.

Bullock is scheduled to return to court on July 31.

Crime alerts: July 16

The Metropolitan Police Department sent our five crime alerts on July 16.

The most recent alert was sent at 10:56 p.m. for a shooting on the 4400 block of 13th Place, NE. Police are looking for a black male who is 5’9”, wearing a dark polo shirt with a white stripe across the middle. The suspect was last seen driving a burgundy vehicle.

At 10:27, police sent another alert for a shooting on the 400 block of 33rd Street, SE. Police do not have a description of the suspect.

At 9:55 p.m. police sent out an alert of a robbery investigation on Connecticut Avenue, NW and Dupont Circle, NW. Police are looking for a black male who was last seen wearing a light gray hoodie with blue jeans.

At 2:53 p.m., an alert for a stabbing investigation was sent out. The incident took place on the 700 Block of 21st Street, NE. Police are looking for a black male who is 6’ with a thin build and armed with a sharp object. The suspect was last seen in the area of 19th Street, NE and Bennett Place, NE.

An alert for a stabbing investigation was sent at 1:32 p.m. The incident occurred on the 2800 block of Alabama Avenue, SE at 12:55 p.m. Police are looking for a black male with a medium complexion, long dreads, black boots, blue jeans and an orange Tommy Hilfiger shirt.

Judge Sets Hearing for Armed Carjacking Defendants

On July 16, DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck set a hearing for Sept. 25 to determine if there is enough evidence to bring three co-defendants to trial.

Rob Smith, Marc Kirk and Jihad Johnson are charged with armed carjacking for allegedly stealing a car on the 1600 block of Fairlawn Avenue, SE. The defendants allegedly pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded his car on April 21. The three then drove off in the vehicle.

Kirk, 21, is also charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle.

Kirk and Smith, 20, were released under the High Intensity Supervision Program on June 8 and June 30, respectively.

Johnson, 20, is still being held at DC jail. His attorney, Stephanie Johnson, filed a motion for her client’s release on May 11, citing the disproportionate rates of COVID-19 infections among Black men.

Judge Michael O’Keefe denied the motion the next day, but Johnson’s attorney renewed it on July 6. It was subsequently denied on July 10.

Judge Schedules Preliminary Hearing for Murder Defendants

On July 16, DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck set a hearing for Sept. 25 to determine if a murder case has enough evidence to go to trial.

Derrick Kearney and Daquan Anglin are charged with first-degree murder while armed in the death of Devonte Speight, a 26-year-old resident of Northwest, DC.

Kearney and Anglin allegedly shot Speight, who was on his dirt bike, from their vehicle on the 1800 block of Maryland Avenue, NE on April 29. According to a witness, it looked like Anglin’s and Kearney’s vehicle was attempting to “flag down” Speight. After the victim began to ride away, the front passenger door opened and three shots were fired. Speight continued to ride until he reached 19th Street, NE and fell to the ground.

After the shooting, the suspects allegedly attempted to flee in a vehicle with temporary Maryland tags, but were apprehended after being pinned between a bus and a parked car at the corner of Kenilworth Avenue and Ames Street, NE.

Two juvenile defendants are also suspected in Speight’s murder.

Judge Continues Hearing so Defense Can Consider Plea Deal

On July 16, DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck continued a hearing to give the defense time to consider a plea agreement.

The defendant is charged with assault with a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction in a crime of violence in a domestic violence case.

Defense attorney Christopher Mutimer said he will have to go to the DC jail to review evidence with his client since there have been technical difficulties transferring information online.

The defendant tested positive for the coronavirus on May 7. However, his subsequent release motion was denied.

The defendant’s next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 4.

Defense Considers Plea Offer

On July 16, a DC Superior Court judge continued a case so a defense attorney could discuss a plea deal with his client.

Francisco Roche is charged with unlawful possession of liquid PCP.

On April 30, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers pulled the defendant over on the 4200 block of Arkansas Avenue, NW.

Police said the stop was for invalid tags on Roche’s vehicle, according to court documents. Officers looked him up on the Washington Area Law Enforcement System and discovered his license was suspended in Maryland.

Officers asked Roche to step out of the vehicle and tell them if there was anything in there they needed to know about. The defendant allegedly said, “I got PCP in the center console, I smoke PCP.”

Police found a half-full 1oz clear glass vial containing a substance that smelled like PCP.

Roche is being held without bail.

Judge Ronna Beck scheduled his next hearing for Aug. 3.

Judge Schedules Hearing for Assault Defendant

On July 16, DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck scheduled a hearing for July 23 to determine if a simple assault case has enough evidence to go to trial.

David Brown is charged with assault with intent to commit robbery.

The defense said they will consider a plea offer from the prosecution.

On May 1, two victims said Brown, 59, tried to rob them at the Gallery Place Metro, which is located on the 600 block of 7th Street, NW.

The first victim said Brown grabbed her purse on the train. The defendant ran away when she fell onto the train platform as she struggled to hold on to her belongings.

Shortly after, Brown allegedly came behind a woman at the station and wrapped one arm around her neck and another around her upper torso, saying “give me your money b****.” After she struggled, he ran away, according to court documents.

Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers detained the man and said they overheard him say, “so what if I did it. I’m a crackhead. I did it for crack.”

Brown is currently being held at DC Jail.

Domestic Violence Defendant Sentenced to Probation

On July 16, a DC Superior Court judge sentenced a domestic violence defendant to one year of probation after she accepted a plea agreement.

The defendant was charged with simple assault in two cases. She pleaded guilty in the first case.

Judge John McCabe sentenced the defendant to 120 days time suspended plus one year of probation.

As part of her probation, the defendant is required to receive a drug and alcohol assessment and treatment, enroll in a Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) and not Harass, Assault, Threaten or Stalk (HATS) the victim.

As part of a plea agreement with the prosecution, her more recent case was dismissed.

The victim asked that the defendant be released.

In a statement read by the prosecution, the victim wrote to the court asking for her romantic partner to receive as lenient sentence due to medical conditions.

“I have been very depressed because of her incarceration,” the victim said.

The defendant expressed regret towards her actions, saying she wants to move past the situation as quickly as possible and has plans to marry the victim in September.

She was first charged with assault for punching her romantic partner and dragging her down a street in front of a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer and a civilian.

“I’m really hopeful this will be fine and the last time you have to talk to a judge,” Judge McCabe said.

Judge Releases Defendant Charged with Burglary

A DC Superior Court judge released a defendant charged with second-degree burglary.

Larry Davis, who is also known as “Stacey Davis,” is charged with second-degree burglary for allegedly stealing from a pizza parlor on the 200 block of M Street, SE on May 30. Davis is transgender.

Davis expressed frustration during the July 16 hearing after a representative from the Pretrial Services Agency (PSA) said she had been a loss of contact with them.

“I had no place to live,” Davis repeatedly said throughout the hearing.

Defense attorney Thomas Lester said his client was “confused” and had to borrow another person’s phone to call the PSA. .

Judge Gerald Fisher said he would continue Davis’ case for four weeks, she must contact the PSA and her probation officer.

Davis’ next hearing is scheduled for July 30.

Judge Holds Defendant

A DC Superior Court judge held a defendant awaiting sentencing for attempted robbery.

On March 2, David Blake, who is also known as David Smith, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery for an incident that occurred at a pharmacy on the 300 block of 40th Street, NE on Jan. 10.

He was released awaiting sentencing on March 26 under the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP). However, he received several notices of noncompliance with his release conditions.

In a subsequent hearing, Judge Michael O’Keefe said he would revoke the defendant’s release conditions, but gave him extra time to get his affairs in order. The judge told the defendant that once he stepped back, he could receive additional jail time at his sentencing.

However, Blake continued to receive notices of noncompliance, prompting Judge Gerald Fisher to detain him during a July 16 hearing.

The prosecution said GPS tracking records show he violated the rules of his home confinement.

Defense attorney Rachel Cicurel said she only received the records two days ago and was denied an evidentiary hearing, which prevented her from contesting the evidence against her client.

She also asked that Blake not be detained, saying his pneumonia makes him more vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19.

When asked why Blake was outside his residence multiple times, the defense said he had to shop for groceries and take short walks due to his health.

“He’s not done anything wrong, he always charges his GPS,” said Cicurel.

Judge Fisher was not convinced, saying the defendant always leaves home for two to three hours, which was far too long.

Blake is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 3.