Document: Police Announce 7th Arrest in July Homicide

On Dec. 7, the Metropolitan Police Department arrested a seventh person in connection to the death of a 10-year-old girl.

According to a press release, police arrested and charged 19-year-old Darrise Jeffers with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of Makiyah Wilson on the 300 block of 53rd Street, NE. According to court documents, Wilson was killed in a shootout while she was trying to purchase icecream.

Police also arrested Quentin Michals, 20; Qujuan Thomas, 20; Gregory Taylor, 23; Mark Tee Price, 24 and Marquell Cobbs, 16, in connection to Wilson’s death. All five men are charged with first-degree murder while armed.

Quanisha Ramsuer, 25, was charged with obstruction of justice in the girl’s death.

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

<a href=”https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5453389/12-7-18-Additonal-Arrest-Made-in-a-Homicide-300.pdf”>12 7 18 Additonal Arrest Made in a Homicide 300 Block of 53rd Street, Northeast (PDF)</a>

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Document: Homicide on Croffut Place, SE

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred on the 3400 block of Croffut Place, SE.

According to a press release, police located 20-year-old Leonard Ray Dec. 6 on Cruffut Place suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Ray later succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.

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 Washington, DC. Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may also be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by sending a text message to 50411.

Judge Finds Probable Cause for November Homicide

A District of Columbia magistrate judge found probable cause Dec. 4 that a murder defendant was allegedly involved in a November homicide.

Robert Theodore Smith is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 19-year-old Nya Howard-Reynolds in a townhouse on the unit block of 57th Place, SE.

“Two witnesses identified two people in the same room and one ended up being dead,” the prosecutor said. He also said Smith was the first person to leave the crime scene.

Smith is being held without bond.

According to court documents, ten people, including the decedent, were present in the residence at the time of the shooting. Multiple witnesses told police they heard a gunshot from Smith’s bedroom and went to investigate. Upon entering his bedroom, residents found Howard-Reynolds lying on the floor. Witnesses told police that Smith, 22, said the victim shot herself.

Defense attorney, Kevin McCants, said his client had no motive to kill Howard-Reynolds because Smith and Howard-Reynolds didn’t know one another. McCants said Smith’s lack of criminal history should weigh heavily in his case.

Smith is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 7, 2019.

Defense Attorney Denies Knowing Inmate

During a post-disposition status hearing, a defense attorney testified that he didn’t know an inmate who was allegedly present at a 2010 shooting.

In 2012, a jury convicted Rickey Pharr of first-degree murder, among other charges, for shooting 31-year-old Angelo Jones after a dice game on the 5300 block of Dix Street, NE.

An inmate told a judge Dec. 3 that he saw the decedent reach into his waistband while arguing with a group of people prior to the shooting. The inmate said he attempted to reach Pharr’s previous attorney, Larry Kupers, about Pharr’s innocence.

Kupers, who took the stand on Dec. 4, said the inmate never contacted him. Kupers added that if someone had approached him regarding Pharr’s innocence he would have taken their claim seriously.

Pharr, the decedent and a group of individuals were gambling on the night of the murder, according to court documents. A witness told police that after the group finished gambling Pharr, 34, approached Jones and said he was armed. The same witness reported hearing gunshots and subsequently observed Jones lying on the ground.

It is not clear if the inmate is the witness referenced in the documents.

The hearing is scheduled to continue on Dec. 14.

Judge Grants Additional Competency Testing

On Dec. 3, a D.C. Superior Court judge granted an independent competency evaluation for a murder defendant who was previously deemed competent to go to trial.

Malik Hewitt and Nyekemia Everett are charged with first-degree murder while armed for their alleged involvement in the shooting death of 37-year-old Christopher Heard on the 2300 block of Ainger Place, SE. According to court documents, Everett, 33, and Hewitt, 38, allegedly planned to rob Heard and ended up shooting him in the process.

The co-defendants are also charged with felony murder while armed, conspiracy, attempt to commit robbery while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

The co-defendants are scheduled to go to trial on March, 4, 2019.

During the hearing, Judge Danya Dayson said she received a medical report that said Hewitt is competent, understands his charges and is merely “malingering for secondary gain.”

However, Hewitt’s defense attorney, Jonathan Zucker, refuted the competency finding, saying that while his client may understand the charges he is “unable to assist in communicating with counsel.”

After Judge Dayson granted the independent evaluation, the prosecution notified the court that they may not be ready for the trial date if the defendant’s competency is continuously debated.

Everett and Davis are scheduled for a status hearing on Jan. 3, 2019.

Judges Finds Probable Cause Murder Defendant Strangled His Cousin

During a preliminary hearing Dec. 4, a D.C. Superior Court judge found probable cause and ordered a murder defendant held without bond for his alleged role in his cousin’s death.

William Gallardo is charged with second-degree murder in connection to the death of 22-year-old Noe Alberto Gallardo Ponce, who was found strangled, in a rowhouse on the 1600 block of New Jersey Avenue, NW on Nov. 26. Apparently, the two men were roommates.

During the hearing, a detective on the case testified that, on the night of the murder, multiple witnesses in the house heard Gallardo, 24, and Ponce arguing. One witness said that when he went to check on them, Ponce opened the door and said they were okay.

The same witness heard loud footsteps in the hall, the detective said. Apparently, when the witness went to investigate who was leaving he saw one person running out the backdoor and into an alley.

After speaking with the residents in the rowhouse, police began searching for Gallardo and ultimately found him in a park on I Street, NW.

According to the detective, Gallardo punched and scratched the arresting officer. Police also discovered that Gallardo’s hands were swollen and there was blood underneath his fingernails.

Judge Craig Iscoe found probable cause based on the severity of the crime. Judge Iscoe said the defendant had to have used extreme force for 2-3 minutes in order to strangle Ponce to death.

The judge said Gallardo is a “significant” flight risk because he lacks community ties and his attempt to evade arrest. Ponce was Gallardo’s only known relative in the area.

Gallardo is scheduled for a felony status conference on March 8, 2019.

Co-defendants Plead Guilty to 2015 Homicide

Harry Herbert and Shakim Lyons pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm, respectively, for their role in the death of 23-year-old Dwayne Gene Dillard on the 2600 block of Douglass Place, SE on Independence Day.

The prosecution agreed to drop the codefendants’ remaining charges, which included second-degree murder. Contingent upon Judge Ronna Beck’s approval, Herbert could be sentenced to 11 years in prison and Lyons could be sentenced to two years in prison.

The prosecution said that although Lyon’s plea offer is below the mandatory minimum, it is appropriate because he recently accepted plea offers in other cases. The prosecution said the plea offers in his other cases amounted to five and a half years in prison.

According to court documents, on July 4, 2015, an altercation between two groups of individuals escalated into a gun battle. A witness said Herbert, 31, shot first. The witness also said that during the shootout, Lyons, 29, left briefly and returned with a gun, firing at another defendant, Jonathan Taylor, and an unnamed individual who were on opposite sides of the shootout.

Police arrested four suspects, Herbert, Lyons, Taylor and James Coffield.

Coffield, 27, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed in November. He was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison. Taylor, 27, pleaded guilty in August. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 28, 2019.

Editors Note: When the co-defendant’s waived their rights to a pre-sentencing investigation Dec. 4, Herbert was sentenced to 11 years in prison and Lyons was sentenced to two years in prison.

Murder Defendant Pleads Guilty to Killing 14-year-old Boy

Minutes after rejecting a plea deal, a murder defendant decided to accept the deal after speaking with his lawyer.

On Dec. 4, Anthony Deandre Allen pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed and attempt to commit robbery while armed for his role in the shooting death of 14-year-old Steven Slaughter on the 1700 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE in January. According to NBC, Slaughter was a 9th grader at Friendship Collegiate Academy in Northeast DC, where he played football.

A proffer of facts states that, on the night of the murder, Allen, 22, was driving a stolen car with two armed passengers. Apparently, the trio was looking for people to rob and saw Slaughter and his two friends walking on Minnesota Ave. The prosecution said the armed passengers got out of the car, attempted to rob Slaughter and ultimately shot him.

During the hearing, Allen initially told D.C. Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe that he didn’t want to accept the plea. However, after learning that the next possible trial date was in 2020 he decided to take the plea.

Per the terms of the agreement, the prosecution downgraded Allen’s first-degree murder while armed charge to second-degree murder while armed and added a robbery charge. Contingent on the judge’s approval, Allen could be sentenced to between 12-24 years in prison for the murder charge and 1.5 to 5 years in prison for the robbery charge.

Allen is scheduled to be sentenced on April 26, 2019.

Murder Defendant Eager to Accept Responsibility for Homicide, Lawyer Says

On Dec. 4, a defense attorney waived her client’s right to a preliminary hearing, saying the defendant was “eager to accept responsibility” in the case.

D’Angelo Davis is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 37-year-old Michael Miller on the 1600 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE in July.

During the hearing, the prosecution said she was unsure whether or not the government would offer a plea deal. The prosecutor said she plans to speak with the victim’s family before making an offer.

Davis, who was 38 years old at the time of his arrest, is scheduled for a felony status conference on Jan. 17, 2019.

Judge Releases Murder Defendant to Supervision Program

After waiving his right to a preliminary hearing, a defendant charged with first-degree murder charge while armed was released under the high intensity supervision program (HISP).

Victor Carvajal was allegedly involved with the shooting of 21-year-old Michael Francis “Mickey” Taylor on the 600 block of Farragut Street, NW in 2008. According to an obituary, Taylor, who was Hispanic, was supposed to attend Towson University that fall.

Mason Binion and Joshua Massaquoi are also charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection to Taylor’s death.

The Metropolitan Police Department arrested Carvajal, 32, on Oct. 31, more than ten years after the homicide occurred. A press release said Binion, 31, was arrested and charged for the murder on Jan. 24. Massaquoi, 31, was arrested on Nov. 23, 2015.

The prosecution told the judge that there are plans to join all of the defendants’ cases.

According to court documents, Taylor’s death stems from a botched drug deal. A witness told police that Taylor helped “broker a deal” between a drug dealer and a group of individuals, including Binion, Carvajal and Massaquoi. The witness said the group gave Taylor between $3,000 and $4,000 for marijuana. Apparently, the dealer took the money but never provided the marijuana.

After Binion was arrested, he told police he supplied the gun and set up the murder. However, Massaquoi told police Binion shot Taylor. Massaquoi also told police Carvajal hit Taylor in the head with a rock, the documents said.

During the hearing, D.C. Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff said, based on Carvajal’s minimal criminal history, that he’s eligible for HISP. Apparently, Carvajal has a 2007 marijuana possession conviction in Prince George’s County.

Per the terms of his release, Carvajal will be placed on GPS monitoring, maintain a curfew and report for drug testing.

Carvajal and Binion are scheduled for a status hearing on Jan. 25, 2019.

Massaquoi is scheduled for a status hearing on Feb. 12, 2019.

Judge Finds Probable Cause Defendant Killed Baby

A DC Superior Court judge found probable cause against a murder defendant for allegedly killing a baby.

James Embre is charged with felony murder for killing 2-year-old Aceyson Ahmad on the 3400 block of A Street, SE in April. Apparently, Embre, 25, was caring for Ahmad and his sister prior to the crime.

Judge Juliet McKenna found probable cause based on the nature of the injuries sustained by Ahmad and the defendant’s presence in the boy’s bedroom.

During the preliminary hearing Nov. 27, the prosecution questioned a detective who investigated the crime scene.

The detective said the boy’s injuries could not have resulted from “falling from the bunk bed,” but rather a more significant force.

The detective also said he spoke to an inmate who supposedly had a conversation with the defendant after the incident. The inmate told the detective that during his conversation with Embre, the defendant admitted to hitting the daughter because she disturbed the baby’s sleep.

The detective said the inmate and Embre’s girlfriend’s daughter told him that Embre hit the baby because he wouldn’t go back to sleep.

However, the defense accused the daughter of lying and the inmate of being a “jailhouse snitch,” who was only interested in the case for his own benefit.

Embre is scheduled for a status hearing on Jan. 23, 2019.

Homicides Decrease by Nearly Half in November

Homicides in the District of Columbia decreased in November by almost half the number of murders in October.

According to D.C. Witness data, there were 21 homicides in October compared to 11 homicides in November, a 48 percent decrease.

However, even though November homicides were low, the number of homicides in the city has increased by nearly 31 percent from 2017. According to D.C. Witness data, there were 155 homicides in the city as of Dec. 3 compared to 118 homicides at this same time last year.

Of the eight homicides recorded in November, officers from the Metropolitan Police Department have arrested suspects in four of the cases.

The most recent occurred on Dec. 3 when police arrested Robert Theodore Smith. According to a news release, Smith, 22, allegedly shot 19-year old Nya Howard-Reynolds on the Unit Block of 57th Place, SE on Nov. 30. He made his first appearance at the DC Courts on Dec. 4. Smith is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 7.

Twenty-six year old William Alexander Marrouquin Gallardo was arrested on Nov. 26 for his connection in the death of Noe Alberto Gallardo Ponce, 22, on the 1600 block of New Jersey Avenue, NW earlier that same day. Gallardo is scheduled for a felony status conference on March 8, 2019. The men were apparently cousins.

DC police arrested Demetrius Pierce on Nov. 26. Pierce, 23, allegedly shooting Nazir Ahmad, 68, on the 900 block of Brentwood Road, NE on Nov. 3. According to a detective, the homicide was committed while the defendant was trying to rob a gas station. Pierce, 32, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 12.

Police also arrested Donnell Mills and Dale Thomas on Nov. 19 and Nov. 21, respectively. The men allegedly stabbed 38-year-old Jelani Mohammed on the 1500 block of Benning Road, NE on Nov. 8. Mills and Thomas are scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 11.

In October, D.C. Witness started tracking vehicular homicides in its monthly report of human-caused deaths in the District. Overall there were 23 deaths in October, including four deaths by vehicular accidents, according to the data. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of DC labeled one of those vehicular deaths as a homicide.

The defendant, Rodney Bell, 42, was presented at DC Courts on Nov. 21. He is charged with second-degree murder and possession of PCP in the death of 32-year-old Kevin Thomas on the 4700 block of South Capitol Street, SW in October. Bell’s preliminary hearing was rescheduled from Nov. 30 to Jan. 3, 2019.

The decrease in fatalities barely shifted from October to November, even with the inclusion vehicular collisions. The decrease is still almost half the number from last month, down 52 percent. There were no vehicular homicides in November, according to the data.

Data also shows the city experienced a decrease in homicides in August with eight homicides, which was nearly a 58 percent decrease from the 19 homicides in July.

Document: Arrest Made for Homicide on 57th Place, SE

The Metropolitan Police Department arrested a suspect Dec. 3 in connection with the shooting death of a 19-year-old woman in Southeast DC.

According to a press release, Robert Theodore Smith allegedly shot Nya Howard-Reynolds on the Unit block of 57th Place, SE on Nov. 30. Howard-Reynolds was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

Smith, 22, is charged with second-degree murder while armed. He is scheduled to be presented at the DC Courts on Dec. 4.

Defendant is Innocent, Inmate Says

During a post-disposition status hearing Dec. 3, an inmate testified that a murder defendant is innocent. However, the testimony contradicted statements the witness told authorities during the investigation.

In 2012, Rickey Pharr was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed for fatally shooting 31-year-old Angelo Jones after a dice game on the 5300 block of Dix Street, NE in two years earlier. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

The inmate, who was apparently at the shooting, said he never saw the defendant with a weapon. Furthermore, the inmate said the decedent began arguing with a group of about ten people who were also playing the game. The inmate said he saw Jones reach into his waistband while arguing with the group.

“I’m just here to let you know that this man [is] innocent,” the inmate said. “If I had said something [earlier], this man might not even be in this chair today.”

The inmate said he signed an affidavit that identified Pharr as the shooter because he did not understand what it said. The inmate said he had illiteracy problems and only signed the document because his attorney instructed him to do so.

According to court documents, a witness said Pharr, 34, approached the decedent and said he was armed. The witness reported hearing gunshots and subsequently observed the decedent lying on the ground. It is not clear if the inmate is the witness referenced in the documents.

The hearing continued on Dec. 4.

Judge Sentences Bus Hijacker to 21.5 Years in Prison

On Nov. 30, a DC Superior Court judge sentenced a murder defendant to 21.5 years in prison for a vehicular homicide.

Keith Loving, 33, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and carjacking in April for striking and killing Anthony Payne, 40, on the 3800 Block of Jay Street, NE.

According to court documents, Loving boarded a Metrobus, yelled at the operator and lunged towards him with a pair of needle nosed pliers. The passengers and the bus driver were able to exit the bus.

Loving, who was apparently under the influence of K-2, a synthetic drug, and PCP, a hallucinatory drug, drove the bus “in an erratic manner,” sticking another bus that was transporting senior citizens. Loving continued onto the lot of a gas station on Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue. In an effort to leave the lot, Loving struck Payne, pinning him under the left side of the bus, the documents said.

“I just wanted to say sorry to the family and everyone that was involved in the incident,” Loving said.

After completing his term in prison, Loving is required to serve five additional years on supervised released.

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