Co-defendants Plead Guilty to 2016 Homicide

During a status hearing Oct. 1, co-defendants in a murder case entered a plea agreement with the prosecution.

Justin Robinson and Kevin Grover were charged with first-degree murder while armed, among other charges, for their involvement in the shooting of 22-year-old Demetrius Medlay on the 3100 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE in 2016.

According to a proffer of facts, Medlay was leaving Smiley Mart, located on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, when he and Robinson, 19, bumped shoulders on the street. The two argued and Robinson ultimately got in his car and left. Apparently, Robinson came back with a gun, saw Medlay and told him “ya’ll better not be here when I get back.”

Shortly after, Grover, 26, arrived on Martin Luther King Avenue, approached a crowd of people, including Medlay, and asked “Who just got into it with my man?” Medlay responded that he didn’t know. Grover then followed Medlay and shot him twice in the chest.

Per the terms of the plea agreement, Robinson pleaded guilty to assault with the intent to kill and in return, the prosecution agreed to waive Robinson’s other charges. Robinson could be sentenced to three to seven years in prison if DC Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff accepts the plea.

Grover pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and the prosecution agreed to drop his remaining charges as well. Grover could face between 16 and 20 years in prison if Judge Bartnoff decides to accept his plea.

Grover and Robinson are scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 14.

Judge Releases Murder Defendant After Indictment

A DC Superior Court judge released Oct. 1 a murder defendant on personal recognizance after she was formally indicted for her alleged role in the fatal shooting of a man police found in a wooded area in 2017.

Shaniah Davis is charged with being an accessory after the fact. According to the grand jury, Davis allegedly hid evidence and knowingly assisted John McRae with concealing the shooting of Marty McMillan on the 2600 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE.

McRae is charged with first-degree murder.

Court documents state that McMillan, 22, was reported missing in April of 2017. Nearly six months later, police found McMillan’s body wrapped in a floral comforter in Forestville, Md. During the investigation, McMillan’s family members told Metropolitan Police Department detectives that the decedent used a dating website to talk and meet with a woman who was supposedly in a relationship with McRae, 41, and another individual. It is unclear if the woman is Davis.

Initially, the woman said she didn’t know McMillan. However, in a later interview, the woman said she had sex with McMillan and admitted to being untruthful because she was scared for her safety.

The woman also told detectives that McRae came home early from work and found McMillan in her room, according to the documents. The woman said she heard gunshots from the room after McRae entered. Following the gunshots, the woman said McRae physically assaulted her and told her to clean up the area where the shooting occurred.

Davis is scheduled for a status hearing, along with McRae, on Nov. 2.

Continue following D.C. Witness for further updates regarding the case.

Murder Defendant Maintains Self Defense Claim

A murder defendant maintained his self defense claim as he told Sept. 29 a jury about the events that led up to a fatal shooting that occurred nearly two years ago.

Babajide Pittman is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Anthony Young on the 600 block of L Street, SE in 2016.

According to the defendant, the confrontation between the men began when Pittman’s ex-wife accused him of statements he allegedly told a doctor about a medical procedure for her. Apparently, Young assisted Pittman and his ex-wife when she needed medical attention after blacking out from drinking.

Pittman said Young told the ex-wife about statements he overheard Pittman telling the doctor. It seems that Pittman disagreed with Young sharing details in that conversation with his ex-wife.

Pittman said Young approached him while he was on his way to the train after filling a prescription at a CVS drugstore in the area. An argument ensued and he told the decedent, “matter of fact, get up off my side of town.”

Pittman said when Young opened the passenger door of a vehicle, he thought the decedent was reaching for a gun. Pittman said he got scared and shot Young. Court documents state that Pittman shot Young 12 times and his girlfriend once.

Police recovered a .40 caliber Glock from Young, according to court documents. Police also recovered ten .45 caliber shell casing from the corner of 7th and L Streets, SE.

“I just shot until he stopped moving,” Pittman said.

According to the bullet holes in the car, all shots came from outside the vehicle, a firearms expert told the jury.

Document: Homicide on U Street, SE

The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating a homicide that occurred on the 1600 block of U Street, SE on Sept. 29.

According to a press release, 28 year-old Henry Isaacs was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

Police are currently 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.

Phone Activity Between Defendant, Victim Precede Shooting

Phone activity between the defendant and the man he allegedly shot was the focus in a District of Columbia courtroom Sept 27.

Babajide Pittman is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Anthony Young on the 600 block of L Street, SE in 2016.

The prosecution presented phone records which showed Pittman, 31, and Young, 27, exchanging several calls hours before Young was killed.

Court documents and witness testimony also show that Pittman and Young were engaged in an ongoing dispute from an incident a few weeks before the homicide.

“Like I thought nigga, you can’t be lookin for me,” Young texted, after he could not reach Pittman, on the morning of Nov. 27, 2016. “Stop bluffing. Keep my name out your MF mouth.”

Multiple witnesses told the jury they saw two men arguing on the corner of 7th and L streets shortly before hearing shots. However, the witnesses couldn’t identify Pittman as the shooter.

According to court documents, a Metropolitan Police Department officer recovered a gun from Young’s waistband when he arrived on the scene.

A forensic analyst said the weapon only matched Young’s DNA.

The defense is claiming self-defense on the grounds that Young was the aggressor by seeking out the defendant while in possession of a firearm.

Trial is scheduled to resume on Sept. 28.

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

Judge Finds Probable Cause in Summer Homicide

A District of Columbia magistrate judge found probable cause and ordered a teenager held without bond Sept. 28 for his alleged involvement in a summer homicide.

Kewon Hunter is charged with second-degree murder while armed for the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Dion Boyd on the 1400 block of Maryland Avenue, NE in July.

A lawyer on behalf of Hunter, 19, argued against the probable cause finding noting that officers on the case relied on “street gossip” and a general identification that noted the suspect had an afro, a black sweatshirt and pants.

The prosecutor agreed that the identification was “circumstantial”; however, she argued other evidence solidified the government’s position. According to the prosecution, the defendant’s phone has a picture of him wearing a black sweatshirt and pants and holding a gun.

Judge Heide Herrmann found probable cause based on the “number of corroborated factors” cited in documents detailing the police’s investigation. Furthermore, she ordered Hunter held without bond and noted that the defendant is currently charged with burglary while armed in an unrelated case that was opened on Sept. 7.

Hunter is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 19.

D.C. Witness Releases First Newsletter

In an effort to help District of Columbia residents become more aware of the homicides occurring in their city, D.C. Witness will begin delivering a monthly newsletter to readers that will include all of the most striking statistics and stories of that time period.

D.C. Witness hopes the newsletter will provide more information and perspective.

The first newsletter will look at the District of Columbia’s deadly summer, where 39 homicides took place between June 21 and Sept. 22. It also previews an editor’s note on the Daron Wint trial and articles on current cases.

Anyone interested in receiving the newsletter can put their information in the fields under the newsletter tab, which is linked here.

D.C. Witness respects the privacy of each reader. We will not share, sell or give your email address to any parties. We will only use your email address to distribute D.C. Witness content.

Sign up for the newsletter, today!

Judge Finds Substantial Probability Against Murder Defendant

A District of Columbia Superior Court judge found substantial probability Sept. 27 that a defendant fatally stabbed a man shortly after an altercation.

Policarpo Casarrubias-Rodriguez, who is a Mexican native, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing Israel Gomez over a dispute about a dining room chair on the 3100 block of 16th Street, NW on Sept. 9.

According to court documents, police responded to 16th Street and found Gomez, 37, unconscious and lying on the floor in a pool of blood. They also found Casarrubias, 44, sitting in a chair next to the victim’s body. He allegedly drank more than 18 beers before the homicide.

A detective on the case told Judge Judith Bartnoff that a witness saw the defendant remove a knife from the decedent’s back.

Casarrubias’ defense attorney, Lee Goebes, argued for self-defense, saying the evidence is more in alignment with voluntary manslaughter and not first-degree murder. According to Goebes, Casarrubias was trying to defend himself during a second altercation. However, the detective said there was no evidence available to indicate that another altercation took place.

Judge Bartnoff, did not accept Casarrubias’ self defense claim. According to the judge, the stabbing occurred after the fight when the defendant went to his backpack to retrieve a knife, displaying premeditation and deliberate conduct. The judge also said the defendant confessed to the crime during his post-arrest interview with MPD detectives.

Even though Casarrubias has no prior felony charges, the judge ordered him held without bond because, due to the nature of the offense, he poses a danger to the community. Judge Bartnoff also said she is concerned Casarrubias could be a flight risk.

Casarrubias is scheduled for a felony status conference on Nov. 9.

Defendant Waives Right to DNA Testing

During a status hearing Sept. 27, a murder defendant waived his right for additional DNA testing.

Deangelo Thorne is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 23-year-old Waliyatou Amadou on the 1400 block of W Street, NW in 2017.

According to court documents, surveillance footage shows Thorne, 27, “hitting” Amadou multiple times in the torso area.

In addition to the footage, a GPS monitoring device placed Thorne at the scene of the crime at the time of the homicide.

A status hearing is scheduled on March 15, 2019. Thorne’s trial is scheduled on Aug. 5, 2019.

Continue following D.C. Witness for further updates.

Multiple Eyewitnesses Can’t ID Shooter in 2016 Murder

On the second day of a murder trial, three of the prosecution’s witnesses could not positively identify the man who shot another man in the southeastern quadrant of the District of Columbia.

Babajide Pittman is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Anthony Young on the 600 block of L Street, SE, in 2016.

On Sept. 25, two witnesses told the jury that they saw a man extend his arm at a car before they heard shots. Another witness, who didn’t see the shooting, said he saw a man pacing on the corner of L Street before hearing gunshots. All of the witnesses said they couldn’t verify that Pittman, 31, was the man they saw.

Along with the lack of positive identification, the defense also motioned for a mistrial on the grounds that the jury’s objectivity was compromised because the defendant’s ex-wife said the defendant was incarcerated during parts of their marriage. District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson told the ex-wife to avoid mentioning previous jail time or convictions before she gave her testimony.

The defense also said noise from the victim’s family caught the attention of jurors.

Judge Dayson told the prosecution that while she is sympathetic to the uncomfortable nature of certain evidence presented, emotional outbursts would jeopardize the ability to move forward.

“I saw the jurors react yesterday,” Anthony Matthews, Pittman’s defense attorney, told the judge on the third day of trial, Sept. 26. “This wasn’t just sobbing. It was a mix of pain, anguish, anger, extreme emotion. The kind that can’t be ignored. I don’t think the jury can put that out of their minds.”

Judge Dayson acknowledged that she noticed two separate occasions when jurors reacted to disruptions coming from the audience. The second of which almost every juror turned around to see.

“There is not a manifest injustice that would justify a mistrial at this point, but I cannot stress enough that means, ‘at this point,’” Judge Dayson said.

The jury also heard from Young’s girlfriend, who was picking him up at the time he was shot. The girlfriend, who was apparently browsing Facebook on her phone, said she did not see who shot Young.

She told the jury that as Young, 27, got into the car she heard a popping sound. The girlfriend was also shot in the leg.

The trial continued on Sept. 27.

Judge Warns of Possible Warrant if Witness Fails to Show

A DC Superior Court judge said that if a witness does not appear in court for a 2010 murder trial, a warrant would be filed.

In 2010, Anthony Antoine Waters was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 37-year-old Derrick Harris on June 14, 2010, on the 2600 block of Birney Place, SE.

Waters was sentenced to 30 years
to life in prison in 2012; however, his case was reopened in 2016 after multiple appeals were filed by the defense.

Defense attorneys raised concerns about a witness who was afraid of testifying at the trial. The witness said, multiple times, that appearing in court was not a safe option.

Harris previously testified against Waters’ best friend in a hearing 10 years ago. According to news reports, Waters confronted Harris while he was visiting his old neighborhood, Barry Farms. The two started fighting and Waters threatened to kill Harris if he didn’t leave.

A motive for Harris’ shooting remains unclear.

The trial is scheduled to begin on Oct. 1.

Continue following D.C. Witness for updates regarding the case.

Murder Defendant’s Hearing Continued to 2019

A murder defendant’s status hearing was rescheduled until early next year.

Cyheme Hall along with three other individuals are charged with attempted robbery and felony murder while armed in a bias-related hate crime. Hall, 23, allegedly shot Deeniquia “Dee Dee” Dodds, 22, a transgender woman who was also known as Gregory Dodds, in the neck on the 200 block of Division Avenue, NE on July 13, 2016. A fifth suspect, who was also involved in the shooting, agreed to cooperate with the prosecution.

The status of the case is currently uncertain. Even though there are rumors of a pending plea bargain, the DC Superior Court’s website does not show one being filed, and counsel for the prosecution and the defense declined to comment. Hall is scheduled for a status hearing on Feb. 22, 2019.

Shareem Hall, 24, is pending a preliminary hearing scheduled on Dec. 3, while Monte Tyree Johnson, 23, and Jalonte Little, 28, are scheduled for a status hearing on Jan. 4, 2019. A trial date for Johnson and Little has been set on Jan. 22, 2019.

Grand Jury Indicts Man in 2016 Murder Case

A murder defendant pleaded not guilty after he was formally indicted Sept. 26 for his alleged role in the murder of a man that police found buried under leaves and a wooden board in 2016.

Eunise Roosevelt Melton is charged with first-degree murder while armed for the fatal shooting of Jerimi Meade on the 400 block of Burbank Street, SE.

According to court documents, Meade’s body was found in a wooded area behind an apartment building on Burbank street. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner noted that Meade, 29, suffered from multiple blunt force trauma injuries to the head, brain and face. According to the medical examiner, the murder weapon may have been a hammer.

Apparently, Meade, Melton, 63, and another person lived in an apartment together on Burbank street.

According to court documents, on the day Meade was killed, the third roommate told police that Melton was cleaning the living room. When the witness inquired further, Melton allegedly said,” I’m cleaning up DNA.” The witness said Meade and Melton argued about missing property, frequently.

Following the indictment, Roosevelt asserted his constitutional right to a speedy trial, which is scheduled to begin on Sept. 16, 2019.

Melton is scheduled for a status hearing on Jan. 8, 2019.

Judge Gives Prosecution Time to Resolve Witness Issues in Murder Case

Less than a month before murder trial was scheduled to begin, a DC Superior Court judge granted the prosecution time to resolve issues with a key witness.

In 2016 and 2017 Turell Campbell and identical twins, Marquete Murray and Marquese Murray were arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 25-year-old Isiah Agyekum on July 23, 2015, on the 100 block of Darrington Street, SW.

According to court documents, three suspects drove up to the decedent’s car and shot the decedent from the front passenger side of the vehicle.

During a status hearing Sept. 24, the prosecution asked for more time to determine the mental health status of an essential witness, who was hospitalized in August.

As of Sept. 25, doctors have not confirmed the witness’s competency.

In response, the defense requested the case be dismissed, but Judge Iscoe denied the motion.

Instead, the judge ordered Turell Campbell be released under the High Intensity Supervision Program. Marquese will remain detained pending the status of a bench warrant in Prince George’s County, Md. and Marquete will continue to be held without bond as he’s serving an accumulated two year sentence for unrelated cases.

Another status hearing is scheduled on Oct. 15.

Continue following D.C. Witness for further updates on the case.

Judge Issues Warrant for Co-Defendant in Murder Case

A DC Superior Court judge issued a warrant for a defendant in a January murder case who failed to appear in court for her indictment Sept. 21.

Shaniah Davis is charged with accessory after the fact for first-degree murder for allegedly playing a role in carrying out and covering up the fatal shooting of Marty McMillan on the 2600 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE. Her co-defendant John McRae is charged with first-degree murder.

McRae was formally indicted on three charges: first-degree murder while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior conviction and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Davis is scheduled to be formally indicted on Sept. 26.

According to court documents, family members reported McMillan, 22, missing in April 2017. Police located McMillan’s “human remains” wrapped in a floral comforter in Forestville, Md. nearly six months later in October 2017.

Throughout an investigation, Metropolitan Police Department detectives learned that McMillan frequented a dating website and had plans to meet up with a woman who was apparently in a relationship with McRae, 41, and an unidentified individual. The woman initially told police that she didn’t know McMillan. However, during a subsequent interview, the woman told police that she had sex with McMillan, in the house she shares with McRae, on the night he was last seen.

The woman told police that McRae came home early from work and found the decedent in the house. The woman told the police that she heard gunshots from the room McMillan was in after McRae, who was armed with a gun, entered. Following the gunshots, the woman said McRae physically assaulted her and told her to clean up the area where the shooting occurred.

According to McRae’s grand jury indictment, Davis allegedly knew he was responsible for McMillian’s death and helped him cover up the murder by destroying evidence and lying to the police.

McRae and Davis are scheduled for a status hearing on Nov. 2.

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