Prosecution Continues Investigation into 2018 Murder

During a hearing May 6, a prosecutor in a murder case said his grand jury investigation is on-going.

David Hahqwon Beale is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the death of 42-year-old George Johnson, Jr. on the 800 block of Oglethorpe Street, NE on May 7, 2018.

According to DC Courts, DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman found probable cause on Feb. 27 and ordered Beale, 20, held without bail.

According to court documents, police recovered Beale’s cellphone from a stolen pizza delivery vehicle. Apparently, the phone contained a video of Beale holding a black 9mm Glock. After obtaining a warrant, police recovered multiple firearms, including the Glock, from Beale’s residence. Court documents state the police were able to determine that shell casings from the scene were fired from the gun found in Beale’s residence.

Beale is scheduled for a felony status conference on Aug. 6.

‘She Got Him Killed,’ Witness Says

During a murder trial, a witness told a jury May 6 that a defendant confessed to having her boyfriend killed.

Carmelita Henderson is charged with first-degree murder while armed for her alleged role in the death of 38-year-old Levi Kinte Davis on the 4200 block of East Capitol Street, NE in 2015. According to court documents, Davis and Henderson, 52, were in an intimate relationship.

The witness testified that he had a sexual relationship with Henderson while Davis was in jail. The witness said he stopped sleeping with Henderson after Davis was released but still spoke with her regularly.

The witness said he ran into Henderson one day and asked her why she hadn’t been answering her phone. The witness said she told him that police had her phone and then told him about the murder.

“She said she got him killed,” the witness said. “He got her fired. She said she wanted to kill him.”

D.C. Witness pr eviously reported that Henderson was fired from her job in the DC Jail’s mailroom because of her intimate relationship with Davis, who was incarcerated at the jail.

According to the witness, Henderson said she was in the parking lot of her apartment complex with Davis when two of her friends came up to her car and shot him. Henderson said she wanted him killed in her car so it would seem “less suspicious.”

The witness told the jury he was not forthcoming about the information at first because he wanted to use it as an “ace in the hole” in case he got arrested, again.

According to court documents, Davis was shot while inside Henderson’s vehicle by two suspects. A witness said Henderson was outside the vehicle at the time of the murder and seemed “calm” after the shooting. Prosecutors believe that Henderson orchestrated the shooting and convinced two men to kill Davis.

Judge Continues Murder Defendant’s Prelim

A murder defendant’s preliminary hearing, which was initially scheduled on May 6, was continued after a mutual request was made by the defense and prosecution.

Keith Anthony Johnson is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the fatal stabbing of 49-year-old Edwin Richardson on the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Southeast on April 5. Johnson is being held without bail.

DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson pushed back Johnson’s hearing to May 16. According to DC Courts, there may be a possible disposition.

D.C. Witness previously reported that during his presentment the prosecution said Johnson was identifiable on surveillance footage.

The prosecutor said Johnson chased Richardson through an intersection with a group of other men, which the prosecutor argued is proof that Johnson knew of the stabbing. Apparently, Johnson also spoke to police and admitted to getting in an argument with Richardson, saying he “enjoyed” chasing him.

Document: Traffic Fatality at Intersection of South Capitol Street and Firth Sterling Avenue SE

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a traffic fatality that occurred on the intersection of South Capitol Street and Firth Sterling Avenue, SE on April 21.

According to a press release, on May 5 Latoya Markee Anderson succumbed to her injuries stemming from an April 21 crash. Apparently, Anderson, 34, was driving down South Capitol Street when she crossed the intersection with Firth Sterling Avenue and struck a traffic signal.

Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact the police at (202) 727-9099

Document: Police Arrest Man For 3-Month-Old Infant’s Murder

After nearly a month of searching, the Metropolitan Police Department arrested a man allegedly responsible for the injuries that lead to a 3-month-old girl’s death.

According to a press release, Cornell Delvonte Holton was arrested and charged with first-degree murder – felony murder and first-degree child cruelty for his alleged role in the death of Skylar Newman on the 4300 block of G Street, SE. Newman died at the hospital on March 19, three days after police found her unconscious in a residence. Her cause of death was ruled multiple blunt force injuries.

Holton, 25, is scheduled to be presented in court on May 6.

D.C. Witness previously reported that Holton was announced as a suspect in Newman’s case on April 15.

Follow D.C. Witness for updates on the case.

Document: Homicide on Stanton Road, SE

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on the 3000 block of Stanton Road, SE on May 5.

According to a press release, police found 18-year-old Saoun Coplins suffering from a gunshot wound. Coplins was brought to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Up to a $25,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this homicide or any other homicide in DC. Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s Text Tip Line — 50411.

Man Receives 12.5 Year Sentence for 2015 Shooting

Nearly four years later, a man was convicted and sentenced for his role in a fatal shooting that occurred in Southeast DC.

In January, Kenneth Donato Stewart pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for his role in the death of 35-year-old Eric Anthony Jackson on the 2200 block of Mount View Place, SE in 2015.

Per the terms of the plea agreement, the prosecution and defense agreed to a 12.5 year sentence.

The prosecution said the plea agreement was indicative of the strengths and weaknesses of the case.

The prosecutor said there was no question of the identity of the shooter, which was captured on surveillance footage. However, the prosecutor said the victim was out of the camera’s view. He said the murder occurred during a block party and that the majority of the prosecution’s witnesses were on their way to work.

The prosecutor said it was possible the jury could become hung or compromised once they learned Jackson shot Stewart, 31, a year prior. He also said Jackson’s criminal history might pose an issue. Apparently, Jackson was also involved in a home invasion.

“I just want to apologize,” Stewart said. “ I wish the family was here so I could apologize in person.”

Defense attorney, Raouf Abdullah, said his client was 15 years old when he left home. Abdullah said Stewart was a “troubled youth” who lacked parental guidance.

Following his release from prison, Stewart must also serve five years on supervised release and register as a gun offender.

Prosecution Files Protective Order in Murder Case

A prosecutor filed a protective order in a felony murder case involving robbery and gun related offenses.

Jerome Wilson, 36, is charged with felony murder while armed, robbery and two gun-related offenses for allegedly shooting Sean Anderson on the 2300 block of Good Hope Road, SE on March 24, 2018.

According to DC Courts, the prosecution filed a protective order concerning video and cell phone materials on May 3. Additional details of the order were not disclosed.

During the hearing on May 3, the prosecutor also told DC Superior Court Judge Ronna Beck that she finished conducting DNA testing in the case.

Defense attorney, Dana Page, said she will decide whether or not she and her client would submit for independent DNA testing at the next hearing, which is scheduled on June 14.

D.C. Witness previously reported that a detective on the case said Wilson, 36, was the last person to see Anderson, 48, alive. Apparently, the men were in Anderson’s apartment smoking crack cocaine and watching pornography. A witness told police Anderson was armed with a revolver, which the detective said could have been the murder weapon.

Eyewitness Takes Stand in 2015 Homicide Trial

During a murder trial May 2, a man said he witnessed a shooting and that he heard a woman’s voice and heels clicking.

Carmelita Henderson is charged with first-degree murder while armed for her alleged role in the death of 38-year-old Levi Kinte Davis on the 4200 block of East Capitol Street, NE in 2015. According to court documents, Davis and Henderson were in an intimate relationship prior to Davis’ murder.

The witness told the jury that he and his wife were watching TV in their apartment when they heard gunfire. Apparently, the witness took cover behind a table but could see into a nearby parking lot through his balcony.

The witness said he saw two men, one was standing between two cars and shooting downward while the other man stood nearby. The witness said following the shooting both men fled the scene. He also said that’s when he heard a woman talking and clicking across the parking lot. He said the clicking was similar to that of a woman’s heels.

During cross-examination, the witness admitted that he didn’t initially tell police about the woman or the sound of heels clicking. He also admitted that he didn’t immediately tell police about what he saw.

“Things like this happen all the time in my neighborhood,” the witness said, explaining why he didn’t come forward right away.

The witness said he eventually told police the day after the murder. The witness also said that it wasn’t unusual to hear people or heels clicking in the parking lot.

During the hearing, the prosecution played a portion of Henderson’s interview with police from the night of the murder. During the interview, a distinct clicking could be heard, which the detective said was the sound of Henderson’s shoes.

According to court documents, Davis was shot by two suspects while inside Henderson’s vehicle. A witness told police that Henderson was outside the vehicle at the time of the murder and seemed “calm” after the shooting. Prosecutors believe that Henderson orchestrated the shooting and convinced two men to kill Davis.

The trial is scheduled to continue on May 6.

Document: Police Identify Victim in May Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department has identified the man who was fatally shot on the 3300 block of D Street, Southeast.

According to a press release, police located 23-year-old Dajuan Donald Hart suffering from a gunshot wound on D Street suffering on May 1. Another man was also located suffering from a gunshot wound. He sustained non-life threatening injuries.

Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this case or any other homicide in DC. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE — 50411.

Defense Requests Another Status Hearing

During a hearing May 2, the defense in a murder case requested another status hearing.

Mark Fletcher is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 25-year-old Travis Barksdale on the 600 block of Evarts Street, NE in August of 2018.

DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson granted the request and scheduled the next court date on July 19.

Fletcher, 19, is currently pending a felony indictment.

D.C. Witness previously reported that the shooting was the result of a neighborhood rivalry between Edgewood and Saratoga. Witnesses said that Barksdale previously shot Fletcher a couple of months prior to the murder.

According to court documents, surveillance footage captured a red Mercedes with four passengers in the area of the crime scene. The video shows Barksdale walking past the vehicle at a red light and making eye contact with its occupants. According to police, Fletcher was one of the passengers in the Mercedes.

Victim’s Girlfriend Was ‘Angry’ Before Murder, Family Member Says

A family member of a murder victim testified that the victim’s romantic partner was “angry” at the victim the night before his murder.

Carmelita Henderson is charged with first-degree murder while armed for her alleged role in the death of 38-year-old Levi Kinte Davis on the 4200 block of East Capitol Street, NE in 2015. According to court documents, Davis and Henderson were in an intimate relationship prior to Davis’ murder.

During the trial on May 2, one of Davos’ family members told a jury that she saw Davis with Henderson, 52, on the night before he was killed. The family member said Davis had scratches on his neck when he arrived to her house.

The witness said that while Davis was filling out job applications, Henderson became agitated and started arguing with him. Apparently, Davis was incarcerated while Henderson was working in the DC Jail mailroom. Henderson was fired because of her relationship with Davis.

A forensic investigator testified that, while processing the 2008 silver Infiniti that Davis was shot in, 19 shell casings and seven bullets were found inside the vehicle. The investigator also said the vehicle belonged to Henderson and that a brown purse was recovered from the back seat.

According to court documents, Davis was shot while inside Henderson’s vehicle by two suspects. A witness said Henderson was outside the vehicle at the time of the murder and seemed “calm” after the shooting. Prosecutors believe that Henderson orchestrated the shooting and convinced two men to kill Davis.

Witness Plans to Recant Statement to Police, Defense Says

During a preliminary hearing May 2, the defense sought to discredit the prosecution’s theory.

Roscoe Jones is charged with felony murder while armed for his alleged role in the death of 33-year-old Mark Mosley on the 600 block of 46th Place, SE on Feb. 24.

The prosecution theory is that Mosley was killed in a robbery attempt.

Surveillance footage shows Mosley walking, but at one point stops and raises his hands. Three individuals then approach Mosley, one of which was holding a “dark object” that seems like a gun.

A detective identified Jones, 23, as the shooter on May 2. Video footage shows Jones approach Mosley, first. Jones was holding a “dark object.” The men then move out of the view of the camera.

The prosecution said a witness corroborated the detective’s testimony, placing Jones at the scene. Apparently, Jones and two other men approach Mosley. All four men got into an argument, the witness said. The witness said the men took Mosley’s jacket. The witness didn’t see the men after that.

According to defense attorney, Blase Kearney, the witness, who is the only witness linking Jones to the crime, plans to recant a statement given to police.

Furthermore, Kearney claims the footage skips and doesn’t actually show a robbery taking place.

Kearney also noted that the police failed to investigate other possible leads of people who could have had motive to kill Mosley.

According to Kearney, a witness told police that Mosley was linked to a Dec. 4, 2015, homicide. Kearney said Mosley was shot in the weeks following the homicide.

According to D.C. Witness data, the Metropolitan Police Department released a press release for one homicide on Dec. 4, 2015. The decedent in the homicide was identified as 46-year-old Sean Dillard and he was fatally shot on the 5200 block of C Street, SE.

Kearney also pointed out that a detective testified that a witness stated there were men in Simply City that had problems with Mosley. The detective said he didn’t follow up about the victim’s issue with men in the area.

DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson said she plans to make a ruling on probable cause and Jones’ hold status at the next hearing, which is scheduled for May 7.

Rebekah Herman contributed to this article.

Judge Delays Murder Defendant’s Trial to 2020

A judge rescheduled a trial for a murder defendant because of a delay in DNA testing.

Keith Archie is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the death of 32-year-old Demond Marcel Rush on the 3600 block of 22nd Street, SE. According to court documents, Rush was found with multiple stab wounds and was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

During a status hearing on May 2, DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman pushed Archie’s murder trial to Jan. 27, 2020.

A prosecutor said DNA testing of evidence had not been completed because the testing lab did not receive clear instructions on what to test for. All results are expected to be ready by June 7, the prosecutor said.

Defense attorney, Blase Kearney, said, after testing was completed, he may wish to complete additional tests depending on the results.

According to court documents, a witness told police that Archie, 38, was intoxicated the night he walked into his home. Apparently, Archie was intoxicated and left blood marks on the walls of the residence.

A status hearing is scheduled on July 1.

Jury Finds Defendant Guilty After 2 Mistrials

After two mistrials, a defendant was found guilty of shooting a 15-year-old boy in 2015.

On May 2, a jury found 26-year-old Derryck Decuir guilty of second-degree murder while armed for shooting Malek Dayvon Mercer on the 2800 block of 28th Street, SE. Decuir had been tried twice before, however, both trials resulted in mistrials after the juries could not come to a unanimous decision regarding his murder charge.

The prosecution said Decuir became enraged by a homophobic comment that was made after he said he admired Mercer’s belt. According to the prosecution’s theory, Decuir followed Mercer off a bus and shot him in the neck.

A witness, who testified in a previous trial, said he was with Decuir and heard one gunshot. The witness said he crouched, looked around and saw Decuir zipping up a backpack near Mercer, who was on the ground.

The prosecution said Decuir’s self-defense claim doesn’t make sense because Mercer was shot in the back of the neck. The prosecutor said Decuir also tried to cover up the shooting by enlisting help to get rid of the gun and lied to police during initial interviews.

“Derryck Decuir murdered a child, a 15-year-old child,” the prosecutor said during opening arguments.

But, the defense told the jury that Decuir fired in self-defense after seeing Mercer pull a shotgun out of his duffel bag.

“He fired in fear. He fired in self-defense,” defense attorney Lee Goebes told the jury. “MPD’s investigation was sloppy. It was incomplete. Because of that, it failed to uncover the truth.”

The defense called a witness who said she was with Mercer and his friend that night. She said she saw a shotgun that had duct tape on it. While she didn’t see it in Mercer’s hands, she said she saw someone put the shotgun in a duffel bag.

Another friend of Mercer’s said he didn’t see a shotgun in the teen’s duffel bag. However, he said he knew Mercer owned one.

Decuir took the stand April 29 and said he was at a bus stop with two of his “cousins” when two teenagers walked up, one of which was Mercer. However, Decuir said he commented on Mercer’s belt and denied feeling any anger toward the teen who “snickered” at a homophobic remark by one of Decuir’s friends.

Decuir told the jury that he boarded the bus and sat in a “sideways seat in the back” behind Mercer. Decuir said his group planned on going to a 7/11 and they got off the bus at what they thought was the closest stop, along with the two teens. After getting off the bus, Decuir said he had to relieve himself and walked away from his friends for privacy.

“I was walking. Malek and [his friend] were in front of me. As I’m walking, they looked back. The second time when they looked back again, Malek had a shotgun in his hand,” Decuir said. Decuir said he pulled his gun from his pants and fired at Mercer.

Decuir said that before he fled from the scene, he saw a shotgun in the grass next to Mercer. However, police never found a shotgun on or near the scene.

Decuir is scheduled to be sentenced on July 23.

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