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.

Document: Police Arrest Woman for Homicide in March

The Metropolitan Police Department arrested May 2 a woman they believe is responsible for fatally stabbing a man in March.

According to a press release, police arrested and charged 53 year-old Barbara Laverne Sanders, a resident of Northeast DC, with second-degree murder while armed. She allegedly stabbed 59-year-old Thurman Knight on the 500 block of Montana Avenue, NE on March 17.

Knight, who was also a resident of Northeast DC, died at a local hospital.

Document: Homicide on D Street, SE

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on the 3300 block of D Street, SE.

According to a press release, during the evening hours on May 1, officers found two men suffering from gunshot wounds. One of the men, 23 year-old Dajuan Donald Hart, died on the scene. The other was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening 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.

Counsel Delivers Closing Arguments in Murder Defendant’s 3rd Trial

During closing arguments in a murder trial the defense and prosecution told the jury two very different stories about a fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy.

Derryck Decuir is charged with first-degree murder while armed and obstruction of justice, among other charges, for the death of Malek Dayvon Mercer on the 2800 block of 28th Street, SE in 2015. The trial marks the third time Decuir’s guilt in Mercer’s homicide is being questioned. The two previous juries could not render a unanimous verdict.

On May 1, a defense attorney said the victim was armed and the witnesses were unreliable.

The defense attorney, Dana Page, said the prosecution was trying to appeal to the jury’s emotions by focusing on Mercer’s age and size in comparison to Decuirs’ stature and age. But, Page said none of that mattered. She said the only thing that mattered was that Mercer pulled a shotgun out of his bag and her client reacted.

Page said there was “no question” that the gun was in Mercer’s bag, but that there was an attempt to cover it up. She said one of the eyewitnesses, a friend of Mercer, gave multiple versions of his story to police and all of them included him returning to the scene without a shirt. Page said it was possible that the friend took his shirt off and grabbed the gun.

The defense also noted that another witness said he knew Mercer was known to carry a shotgun, but didn’t tell police because he didn’t want the defendant to be able to claim self-defense.

Page also told the jury that the police failed to fully investigate the matter. She said the police’s lack of investigation was a “slap in the face to justice.”

However, the prosecutor said this was not a case of self defense. Instead, the defense was blaming Mercer for being out late.

According to the prosecution, Decuir became enraged after an encounter with Mercer and another juvenile at a bus stop during the late evening hours. Apparently, the defendant complimented Mercer’s belt after which Decuir’s friend made homophobic remarks towards him. Court documents state that Mercer and his friend “snickered” in response. All of the individuals involved in the crime exited the bus later at the same bus stop.

Mercer got off at that bus stop with the intent to go home. However, Decuir had no business getting off at that stop and that his only intent was to harm Mercer, the prosecutor said.

The prosecution also said the murder weapon had an extended clip and that Decuir couldn’t have held it in his pants, as the defense alleges. Instead, the prosecution said he had the gun in his backpack, which means he had to take conscious actions to get the gun.

In addition to Decuir’s conscious actions, the prosecutor pointed out that Decuir tried to cover up the murder while in jail. Apparently, he asked friends to get rid of the murder weapon. He also attempted to get witnesses to lie for him, but when they told the truth to investigators, prosecutors said Decuir was forced to admit to the shooting.

The jury began deliberating on May 1.

Thamar Bailey contributed to his article.

Document: Police Search for 2 Suspects in Homicide on 14th Street, SE

The Metropolitan Police Department is searching for two suspects they believe are connected to a homicide that occurred on April 28.

According to a press release, 18-year-old Xavier Dontrell Culbreth is wanted on a DC Superior Court arrest warrant for first-degree murder while armed. Culbreth is described as a black male who is 5’7″ tall and 145 pounds. He has brown eyes, dreadlocks and a dark complexion.

The second suspect, 18-year-old Jada Jena Smith, is wanted for armed robbery. She is described as a black female who is 5’1″ tall and 110 pounds. She has brown eyes, blonde hair and a light complexion, the release said.

Police believe the two are connected in the alleged stabbing of a man on the 700 block of 14th Street, SE around the midnight hour. the victim, 40-year-old Jamal Ferrell,died at a local hospital.

A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this case or any homicide committed in the District of Columbia. 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.

Document: Police Still Search for Suspect in Baby’s Death

The Metropolitan Police Department is still looking for a man they believe played a role in the traumatic death of a 3-month-old child.

According to a press release, police are searching for 25-year-old Cornell Delvonte Holton. He is is wanted on a DC Superior Court arrest warrant for first-degree murder – felony murder 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.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Holton or who has knowledge of the incident should call police at (202) 727-9099 or text the Department’s Text Tip Line — 50411. The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for any homicide in DC.

Document: Homicide in Simple City

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred during the afternoon hours on April 30 in Southeast DC.

According to a press release, a little after 1 p.m. officers found 22-year-old Devante Moody suffering from a gunshot wound on the 4400 block of G Street, SE. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

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 case 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.

Judge Transfers Four-Defendant Murder Trial to Another Judge

A DC Superior Court judge transferred April 30 a murder trial to another judge’s calendar after the defense said they would not be ready for trial in 2019.

Derek Turner is charged with first-degree murder while armed, and his co-defendant, Ronnika Jennings, is charged with conspiracy, among other charges, for their alleged roles in the death of 28-year-old Andrew McPhatter at the intersection of Wheeler Road and Upsal Street, SE in 2017.

After hearing from the defense, Judge Craig Iscoe scheduled the trial to begin on March 23, 2020, and moved it to Judge Juliet McKenna’s calendar. According to DC Courts, the trial was moved to Judge McKenna’s calendar because the only available trial date on Judge Iscoe’s calendar was in 2021.

The trial was initially scheduled to begin on June 3, 2019.

Judge Iscoe said the new trial judge would rule on outstanding issues, including a motion to sever the four defendants.

According to DC Courts, as of April 30, neither the prosecution nor the defense filed any motions to sever the defendants.

Defense attorney, Dorsey Jones, also argued for Jennings, 40, to be released under the high intensity supervision program (HISP). Jones said the prosecution’s theory alleges that Jennings abused her job as a clerk with the Metropolitan Police Department to find relevant legal documents. Jones said Jennings is not a danger to the community because she no longer works with MPD.

However, the prosecution argued that, because of Jennings’ knowledge with MPD and the legal system, she could continue to aid violent criminals in covering up their crimes.

Judge Iscoe said he would decide whether to release Jennings by May 2.

Marshay Hazelwood and Duan Hill, are also charged with obstruction of justice and conspiracy in connection to McPhatter’s murder. Both defendants are released on personal recognizance.

According to court documents, Turner, 27, was a member of the Wahler Place neighborhood gang, which had an ongoing feud with the Trenton Park neighborhood, which McPhatter was a member of.

A status hearing is scheduled on July 12.

Document: Police Search for Suspect in E Street, SE Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department is searching for a man who is wanted in connection to a homicide that occurred on April 22.

According to a press release, there is an arrest warrant out for 20-year-old Keonte Johnson for first-degree murder while armed. Johnson is wanted for allegedly shooting 24-year-old Deandre Hawkins on the 5300 block of E Street, SE.

Johnson is described as being 6-feet tall and 150-160 pounds. He has brown eyes and black hair. Johnson should be considered armed and dangerous.

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 is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s Text Tip Line — 50411.

Document: Arrest Made in Southern Ave, SE Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department arrested April 30 a man in connection to a homicide that occurred about two weeks ago.

According to a press release, 29-year-old Terrance Barnes, a resident of Southeast DC, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 57-year-old Barry Holmes on the 5100 block of Southern Avenue, SE.

Holmes was a resident of Temple Hills, Md.

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

Teenager Pleads Not Guilty to Murder

During a hearing April 26, an 18-year-old murder defendant pleaded not guilty after prosecutors secured an indictment.

Bernard McKinney is charged with first-degree murder while armed, robbery while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged role in the death of 24-year-old Daymond Chicas on the 300 block of 50th Street, NE in 2018. McKinney is also charged with attempt to committ robbery while armed and assault with intent to committ robbery while armed.

During the arraignment, defense attorney, Eugene Ohm, requested an earlier trial date. He told the judge that McKinney’s trial date is currently set in 2020.

DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe said there was a waitlist, but if an earlier date became available he would contact counsel.

The prosecution did not object to the request.

According to court documents, a witness told police that he was at a public pool with Chicas when two juveniles stole Chicas’ cell phone and ran away. The witness said he and Chicas chased the juveniles when they came in contact with the defendant and an unidentified man. Apparently, the unidentified man shot Chicas.

Police have not arrested anyone other than McKinney in connection to the homicide.

McKinney is scheduled for a status hearing on August 23.

Judge Enacts Murder Defendant’s 8-Year Sentence

A DC Superior Court judge enacted April 30 a murder defendant’s sentence after the defense said he finished an educational program at DC Jail.

In October of 2018, Rodney Baggott pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed for shooting 44-year-old Donald Franklin Bush on the 2300 block of 15th Street, NE in 2015. He was initially charged with second-degree murder while armed and other gun possession offenses.

Judge Judith Bartnoff sentenced Baggott, who is now 51 years old, to eight years in prison on Jan. 11. However, she delayed the actual implementation of the sentence in order to give Baggott time to finish a class in fiber optics at DC Jail.

During the hearing, the prosecution reminded the judge that, as part of the plea agreement, an unrelated murder charge for the death of 23-year-old DeAngelo Barr in 1995 would be dismissed.

D.C. Witness previously reported that Baggott excelled in programs at the jail, including a reading and writing program for inmates called the Free Minds Book Club & Writing Workshop.

Upon his release, Baggott will also be required to serve five years on supervised release.

Read more on Baggott’s sentencing, here.