The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced they are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on May 27 in the Anacostia neighborhood. The victim, identified as 32-year-old Tequila Parker of Southeast, DC, was found with a gunshot wound on the 2300 block of Pitts Place, Southeast, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The case remains under investigation.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced the arrest of 17-year-old Damari Thomas, who is alleged to have been involved in a fatal shooting on May 5, 2024, on the 3500 block of Stanton Road, SE. The incident resulted in the death of 31-year-old Anthony White and left one surviving victim with non-life-threatening injuries. Thomas has been charged with Second Degree Murder while Armed.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced they are investigating a homicide that occurred on May 27 in the 1600 block of 14th Street, Northwest. The victim, identified as 35-year-old Henry Crutchfield from Waldorf, MD, was found with a fatal gunshot wound and pronounced dead at the scene.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced an investigation into a fatal hit and run crash that occurred on May 11 at the intersection of 7th Street and New York Avenue NW. A stolen 2017 Infiniti QX60 struck a motor-driven cycle, resulting in the death of 24-year-old Jose Carlos Vilchez Bobbio from Germantown, MD, after the occupants of the vehicle fled on foot.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced they are investigating a homicide that occurred on May 13 on the 4500 block of Benning Road, Southeast. The incident involved two adult male victims – 21-year-old Jacquise Zanders was pronounced dead, and there is one surviving victim with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced they are seeking assistance in identifying a suspect involved in an attempted unarmed carjacking on April 29 in the 1300 block of 4th Street, NE. The suspect assaulted a victim who tried to intervene but fled without obtaining the vehicle. Surveillance cameras captured images of the suspect.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced an investigation into a fatal stabbing inside the DC Jail on May 13 at the 1900 block of D Street, SE. The victim, identified as 29-year-old Carlos Shelley of Southeast, DC, was found unconscious and later pronounced dead. The MPD’s Homicide Branch is leading the investigation.
Prosecutors presented the search history of a defendant’s phone in which they say she repeatedly sought information about a shooting during a six co-defendant homicide trial before DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz on May 29.
Erwin Dubose, 31, Kamar Queen, 28, Damonta Thompson, 28, and William Johnson-Lee, 22, are charged with conspiracy, premeditated first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with significant bodily injury while armed, among other charges, for their alleged involvement in the mass shooting that killed 31-year-old Donnetta Dyson, 24-year-old Keenan Braxton, and 37-year-old Johnny Joyner. The incident occurred on the 600 block of Longfellow Street, NW on Sept. 4, 2021, and injured three additional individuals.
Mussay Rezene, 32, and Toyia Johnson, 53, are charged with accessory after the fact while armed and tampering with physical evidence for their alleged involvement in assisting the other defendants discard evidence and avoid arrests.
A digital analyst from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) resumed his testimony and verified extractions from three different cell phones prosecutors alleged belonged to Johnson and Queen.
The first phone was associated with two Apple ID email accounts, one of which was allegedly registered to Johnson. Prosecutors presented evidence of 53 search history entries from the device between Oct. 2 and 12, 2021. During that period, the user searched for local news, Fox 45 News, and information related to shootings. Notable searches included: “shooting on georgia ave silver spring md” and “2 charged, more suspects sought in DC shooting that killed 3, injured 3.”
During cross-examination, Johnson’s attorney, David Akulian pointed out that the phone was registered to multiple people and the analyst confirmed it’s impossible to know for certain who was using the phone at a specific time. Akulian also noted the web history could have been unintentional if the user clicked on a link instead of initiating a specific search.
The prosecution alleged the other two phones belonged to Queen and displayed messages between Queen and a contact named “Big Money [heart emoji]”. They pointed out that consistent messages paused between 6:40 p. m. and 8:44 p. m. on Sept. 4, 2021. According to court documents, the incident occurred at 7:33 p. m.
The trial is scheduled to resume on June 2.
Four of five co-defendants pleaded guilty to two gang-related homicides and one non-fatal shooting before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on May 30.
Ronald Henderson, 19, Derricko Johnson, 21, and Daveon Robinson, 18, were originally charged with multiple counts of conspiracy, assault with intent to kill while armed, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Henderson and Johnson were additionally charged with first-degree premeditated murder and carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business. Johnson was charged with fleeing a law enforcement officer, an offense allegedly committed during release.
Demarco Robinson, 21, was originally charged with conspiracy.
The defendants’ charges stem from their conspiracy between April 2022 and July 2023, as members of the “Get Back Gang,” to assault and kill individuals with opposing views, including members of rival gangs. The prosecution said the defendants communicated their plans in an Instagram group message.
Henderson and Johnson were involved in the fatal shooting of 16-year-old Justin Johnson and injury of two additional individuals on May 26, 2022.
Johnson was also involved in the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Clayton Marshall and injury of one additional individual on April 12, 2022.
Henderson and Daveon were involved in a non-fatal shooting that injured two individuals on Jan. 2, 2023.
The fifth co-defendant, Dionzai Parker, 21, is charged with conspiracy, first-degree premeditated while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with intent to kill while armed, and two counts of carrying a gun outside a home or place of business. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Brice Djembissi and injury of one additional individual on Feb. 25, 2023.
All four shootings occurred on the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace, SE.
During the hearing, Henderson, Johnson, Daveon, and Demarco accepted plea deals from the prosecution. In exchange, the prosecution dismissed all greater and remaining charges and parties agreed-upon a sentence range for each defendant.
Henderson pleaded guilty to conspiracy, second-degree murder while armed, and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with an agreed-upon sentence of 18-to-23 years of incarceration.
Johnson pleaded guilty to conspiracy, second-degree murder while armed, voluntary manslaughter while armed, and assault with a dangerous weapon with an agreed-upon sentence of 19-and-a-half-to-23 years of incarceration.
Daveon pleaded guilty to conspiracy and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with an agreed-upon sentence of six-to-10 years of incarceration.
Demarco pleaded guilty to conspiracy with an agreed-upon sentence not exceeding and concurrent with his incarceration for a separate firearms case in federal court.
The deals prohibit the four defendants from testifying about the incident on Feb. 25, 2023 or providing Parker with an alibi. A hearing for Parker’s case is scheduled for July 16.
Marshall’s mother spoke at the hearing and asked Judge Ryan to impose the maximum sentence on the defendants for her son who was “brutally murdered” in a “senseless tragedy.” She emphasized the defendants will return home after their incarceration but said, “My son Clayton will never get to come home.”
Judge Ryan accepted the guilty pleas and granted requests from defense attorneys for the defendants to complete high school prior to their sentencing.
Henderson and Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 12, Daveon’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 21, and Demarco’s sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2026.
The defense in a non-fatal Metro bus stabbing came up with a counter proposal to the prosecution’s proposal to settle the case.
Donea Williams, 30, and Ashley Brown, 26, are each charged with assault with intent to kill while armed for their alleged involvement in a non-fatal stabbing on Dec. 2024 aboard a DC Metro bus.
On May 30, the defense for both defendants suggested a counter offer for assault with intent to commit mayhem while armed, a count which specifically involves disfigurement. That in return for the prosecution’s waiving an indictment on more serious charges.
At the previous hearing held on May 2, the prosecutors initially offered an unwired plea deal to both defendants, on the charge of assault with intent to kill. Part of the plea deal would let prosecutors hold back on requesting pre-sentence detention and waive any sentencing enhancements.
Prosecutors says they will review the countrer offer and respond soon.
DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz expressed his belief that these discussions were sincere, and not causing intentional delay.
The next hearing is scheduled for July 11.
However, the prosecutors stated that if a resolution is reached before then, the hearing may be pushed up.
A non-fatal shooting defendant pleaded not guilty to all charges formally presented during an arraignment before DC Superior Court Judge Jason Park on June 2.
Derrick Gladden, 54, is charged with assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault knowingly while armed, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction greater than a year, and unlawful possession of ammunition. The charges stem from his alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that injured one individual on April 15, 2024 on the 2300 block of Marion Barry Avenue, SE. The victim sustained one gunshot wound to his upper chest.
According to court documents, Gladden allegedly confronted a neighbor about money he was owed and said, “You going to give me my money,” then allegedly shot the victim, and fled.
Alvin Thomas, Gladden’s attorney, informed the court Gladden pleaded not guilty to all charges and asserted his right to a speedy trial.
Following the arraignment, Judge Park informed Gladden the prosecution will likely “yank” the current plea offer if the defendant does not accept it by the next hearing. The terms of the deal were not discussed in court.
Parties are scheduled to reconvene on June 12.
The defense questioned the legality of a shooting defendant’s arrest as well as the evidence gathered in a May 30 hearing.
Daquawn Lubin, 30, and Jonathan Young, 35 are accused for their alleged involvement in a non-fatal shooting that injured two people on July 24, 2023 on the 4000 block of Benning Road, SE. They are charged with conspiracy, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and assault with significant bodily injury while armed.
Defense attorney Kevin O’Sullivan questioned both the probable cause for Lubin’s arrest and the legality of evidence obtained by the police. Lubin was arrested without a warrant four days after the shooting took place.
The seizure of Lubin’s cellphone was a key issue during the hearing. The prosecution argued it was lawfully obtained, while the defense argued that it was seized after Lubin’s arrest and searched by authorities without a warrant or probable cause.
The defense additionally filed a motion to suppress GPS data from Lubin’s car, which it says was obtained and searched by the police without a warrant and prior to his arrest as well.
The prosecutor said he wants to complete the pre-trisl hearing process and resolve outstanding defense motions.
DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz stated there were “a lot of them,” and that he hopes the parties reach agreement before the next hearing scheduled for June 13.
Cotey Wynn‘s defense attorney, Brian McDaniel, excoriated the prosecution’s evidence for inadequacy at a preliminary hearing on May 30, in which DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt was asked to decide whether there was probable cause to send Wynn’s case to a grand jury for possible indictment.
Wynn, 44, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in a mass shooting that occurred on Sept. 23, 2023, in the former CRU Lounge on the 1300 block of H Street, NE. The incident resulted in the death of 31-year-old Blake Bozeman and the injury of three other victims.
The prosecution called the lead detective from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in the case as a witness. He testified to writing the affidavits to support arrest warrants for Wynn and another suspect, who was believed at the time to have been the shooter.
According to the lead detective, the charges against the other suspect were dropped when it was determined that he was not as tall as the shooter, based on surveillance video footage. Wynn, however, is being prosecuted on the theory that he aided and abetted the shooter, whose identity remains unknown.
The prosecution showed surveillance video footage of an individual, identified by the police as Wynn, parking the SUV that the shooter later used to flee the scene. The footage showed the individuals identified as the shooter and Wynn entering the CRU Lounge separately, then leaving the lounge together to walk to the SUV, and returning four minutes before the shooter opened fire.
McDaniel noted that the video footage of the driver parking the SUV was taken from a distance at night, making it difficult to identify Wynn as the driver. He confirmed with the detective that there’s no other evidence of Wynn’s owning or driving an SUV.
When the individuals identified as Wynn and the shooter passed through the security tent outside the lounge together, the tent blocked the camera’s view of them, but the detective testified that the amount of time they spent in the tent wasn’t adequate for them to be inspected for weapons with the security guard’s metal-detecting wand.
“I can tell you from years of experience supervising that job that it was done too quickly to be done proficiently for two people,” the detective said.
He testified that Wynn was a respected patron at the lounge, due to his work organizing events as a promoter.
“He gets preferential treatment from the club, which means he can get a person with murderous intent into the club so they can carry out their murderous intent,” the prosecutor said about Wynn.
McDaniel countered that the individual identified as Wynn appeared to be cooperating with the security screening rather than trying to pass through the tent without inspection.
“He doesn’t wave anybody off or push anybody away,” McDaniel observed.
McDaniel confirmed with the detective that there was no evidence the shooter obtained the gun used in the incident when he went out to the SUV with the individual identified as Wynn.
McDaniel also said that the behavior of the individual identified as Wynn on reentering the lounge didn’t indicate any expectation of a shooting.
“He’s smoking that hookah. He’s not trying to kill anyone,” McDaniel commented. “He’s just smoking that hookah, and drinking, and occasionally talking to a young lady.”
The detective testified that the individual identified as Wynn in the video didn’t dive to the ground or behind the bar like most of the people in the lounge when the shooter opened fire.
McDaniel slowed down the surveillance video footage to show that Wynn turned away when the shots were fired and lowered his head and upper body somewhat, although not as much as other people.
“That’s security that’s hiding behind Mr. Wynn,” the detective noted about another person in the video footage.
“Hiding behind the bar?” McDaniel asked.
“Hiding behind the bar and Mr. Wynn. And he’s security,” the detective replied.
McDaniel argued the prosecution hadn’t demonstrated that Wynn knew the shooting was going to occur.
“He didn’t have any suspicion or any knowledge of what the shooter was going to do. There’s no evidence of it,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel further argued it was unlikely Wynn would have remained at the location until the police arrived, as he did, if he had assisted in the crime.
“If he’s such a bigwig, why would he agree to such an act of violence, where he knows there are cameras around? And if he did that, after the shooter left, why would he stick around until the police came?” McDaniel demanded.
“There’s no evidence that Mr. Wynn even knew the shooter before this day,” McDaniel argued to the court.
The detective disagreed, testifying that there was evidence of phone calls between them. The video footage of the shooter outside the lounge showed him on the phone for 14 seconds, and a data dump from nearby cell towers showed a 14-second call to Wynn’s phone at about the same time. The phone that called Wynn then had made and received several other calls to and from Wynn’s phone in the preceding weeks.
McDaniel argued that it was mere speculation to equate the phone that called Wynn with the shooter’s phone. He pointed out that the phone records and the time stamp on the surveillance video disagreed on the timing of the call by two minutes.
“The standard of probable cause, although a lower standard, requires some evidence supporting what the prosecution alleges,” McDaniel said. “This man does not belong in jail, right now, on this evidence.
“A little involvement is not no involvement, and a little involvement is what the law requires,” the prosecutor countered. “All you have to find under an aiding and abetting theory is that Mr. Wynn knew about a possible crime and did what he could to make that possible.”
Judge Brandt delayed making a ruling regarding probable cause in order to review the surveillance video footage more fully.
The next hearing in this case is scheduled for June 3.
DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman presided over a May 30 hearing during which the prosecution tried to introduce a weapon as evidence that may connect a suspect to another killing hours later.
Randolph Thomas, 42, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, five counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, robbery while armed, and first-degree burglary while armed, for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Emmanuel Durant Jr. on Dec. 31, 2009 on the 200 block of Webster Street, NW. Thomas was arrested and charged in connection to the murder in October 2023.
According to the prosecution, DNA and ballistics evidence from the murder of Chardale Bowe on Dec. 31, 2009, to which Thomas pleaded guilty, could be used to tied to Durant’s shooting. Bowe was killed some 20 hours before Durant.
DNA test results, are said to show defendant’s right fingernail clipping had a likely blood match for the victim.
Parties are slated to reconvene on Sept. 19 to determine how expert testimony can properly be applied to this unusual case.
The trial is set May 26, 2026.
DC Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman arraigned a homicide defendant May 30, which led to a pointed disagreement between counsel over holding the defendant in jail another full year before trial.
Adrian Morgan, 64, is charged with second-degree murder,aggravated assault knowingly while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a dangerous weapon outside a home or business, and possssing a prohibited weapon for allegedly stabbing 42-year-old Tiffany Parker on Aug. 30, 2024 on the 3800 block of South Capitol Street, SE.
According to court documents, Morgan told police that Parker had pulled out a knife on him after an argument about money. Morgan was able to take the knife away and proceeded to stab Parker, allegedly in self-defense.
The hearing started with the prosecution stating that DNA testing had been done on a knife and a condom. Judge Edelman noted that as a result, an Innocence Protection Act (IPA) hearing was needed–a legal proceeding that allows individuals accused of a crime to request DNA testing or present new evidence that could prove their innocence.
The defense requested all the evidence the prosecution intends to use, as they have received very little.
Judge Edelman urged the prosecution to comply as soon as possible. The prosecution agreed, saying the results would be handed over no later than June 6.
Then, Elizabeth Weller, Morgan’s attorney, expressed frustration when the prosecutor said he was not available to bring this case to trial until 2027, leaving Morgan in jail for another year.
Weller said the “government waited the full nine months to indict him,” and that Morgan should not be punished for the prosecution’s busy schedule.
When Judge Edelman asked the prosecution to explain what made 2026 so busy, he responded there were multiple trials throughout the year.
“The calendar, unfortunately, is not very good,” Judge Edelman said.
Five minutes later both parties returned from a bench conference sooner a trial date of Oct. 13, 2026, as well as a status/IPA hearing was set for Sept. 19.
