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.

Judge Issues Warrant in Suspected Gang-Related Homicide

A DC Superior Court judge issued a bench warrant Nov. 29 for a man who was allegedly involved in a 2015 homicide that the prosecution says was gang-related.

Joshua Artis is wanted for first-degree murder while armed and related gun charges for his alleged involvement in the death of 28-year-old Ryan Addison on the 200 block of Elmira Street, SW.

Artis is also charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

According to a grand jury indictment, Artis is a member of the Imperial Gangsta Bloods also known as IGB, “a criminal organization operating in the United States, including in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia.”

The indictment states that a regional IGB leader “authorized” Artis to travel from Virginia to Washington, DC to kill Addison, who they believed killed Rodney Davis, a friend of theirs. Davis was fatally shot on the Unit block of Galveston Place, SW in 2015.

Grand Jury Indicts Defendant in 2018 Homicide

On Nov. 30, a defendant pleaded not guilty after he was formally indicted for his alleged role in a shooting that occurred in January.

A grand jury indicted Charles Young on first-degree murder while armed and a related gun charge for allegedly shooting 29-year-old Kenneth Poindexter on the 4700 block of Benning Road, SE.

Following the reading of the indictment, the prosecutor said he is in the process of testing DNA. The prosecution was granted the ability to conduct DNA testing in August. The order was reinstated in September.

Young’s co-defendant, Steven Robin, is also charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection to Poindexter’s death.

The prosecution said that Robin, 22, is expected to be indicted by February of 2019.

According to court documents, one witness told police that four men exited a vehicle on St. Louis Street, SE, three of them holding firearms, and approached the victim.

Another witness reported seeing a man coming down a hill on St. Louis Street shooting at a group of eight or nine people, according to the documents. The witness said the man eventually focused his aim on Poindexter, who sought cover behind a white Chevy Tahoe. Police found Poindexter suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on Benning Road.

Young and Robin are scheduled for a trial readiness hearing on Feb. 8, 2019.

Continue following D.C. Witness for updates.

Murder Defendant Will Remain at Mental Hospital for Foreseeable Future

On Nov. 27, a murder defendant waived his right to a hearing that would determine whether he is still mentally ill.

In October, Stefon Kirkpatrick pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity for allegedly stabbing 22- year-old Julisa Washington on the 400 block of Chesapeake Street, SE in 2013.

According to court records, on the night of the murder, Kirkpatrick, 28, who was Washington’s boyfriend of five years, confessed to the murder. “I want to turn myself in. I did it. No more suffering, no more pain. All I want is one to the head,” he told an officer on the scene.

Kirkpatrick is currently being held at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, D.C.’s psychiatric hospital.

During the hearing, the defense waived Kirkpatrick’s right to a hearing that would determine whether or not he has regained competency. By waiving the hearing, the defendant also waived his right to petition the court for his immediate release from St. Elizabeth’s.

According to the defense and prosecution, a recent report from St. Elizabeth’s said Kirkpatrick is still a danger to himself and to others.

As a result, D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert Morin ruled that Kirkpatrick will remain at St. Elizabeth’s until he is no longer deemed a risk.

Murder Defendant Rejects What May Be His Only Plea Deal

On Nov. 30, a murder defendant rejected a plea agreement, which the prosecution said may be their only offer.

Malcolm Cunningham, 23, is charged with first-degree murder while armed and burglary for allegedly stabbing 79-year-old David Norwood on the 600 block of C Street, NE in 2017.

Cunningham’s lawyer rejected the plea on his client’s behalf and said they want to review a report regarding the defendant’s mental competency before entering plea negotiations.

The plea would have downgraded Cunningham’s first-degree murder charge to second-degree murder while armed and dropped the remaining burglary charge. Per the terms of the plea agreement, Cunningham could have received a maximum sentence of 18 years in prison.

Cunningham is scheduled for a mental observation hearing on Feb. 12, 2019.

August Homicide Stems from Neighborhood Rivalry, Detective Says

During a preliminary hearing Nov. 28, a D.C. Superior Court judge found probable cause that a 19-year-old was involved in a homicide, which police say stemmed from a neighborhood rivalry between two neighborhoods in Northeast DC.

Mark Fletcher, who is from the Saratoga neighborhood, is charged with second-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the murder of 25-year-old Travis Barksdale, who is from the Edgewood neighborhood, on the 600 block of Evarts Street, NE in August.

According to the detective, multiple witnesses said the homicide spurred from a shooting in June. The shooting was allegedly a form of defense in response to members of the Saratoga neighborhood threatening Barksdale the day before. Apparently, Barksdale shot Fletcher.

Weeks later, on the night of the murder, surveillance footage shows a red Mercedes driving around the Edgewood neighborhood with four occupants who seemed to be searching for something, the detective said. Another officer, who had been working in the Saratoga neighborhood for four years, identified Fletcher as one of the occupants in the car.

Defense attorney Ieshaah Murphy questioned the identification of her client. She said it was “telling” that the officer spent four years in the Saratoga neighborhood but couldn’t identify any of the other occupants in the car. Murphy also said there was no DNA evidence connecting her client to the shooting and that the only description of the shooter was that the person was wearing “dark clothing,” which is vague in nature.

Even so, Judge Craig Iscoe found probable cause under an aiding and abetting theory based on the cars driving pattern, the MPD officer’s identification of Fletcher and witness testimony.

Judge Iscoe ordered Fletcher held without bond because the defendant has a pending case concerning multiple gun related charges.

Fletcher is scheduled for a felony status conference on Jan. 8, 2019.

Judge Sets Trial Date for February Homicide

On Nov. 30, a D.C. Superior Court judge set a trial date for a murder defendant who was formally indicted for allegedly stabbing a senior citizen in February.

A grand jury indicted Edward Hampton Brown on first-degree murder while armed and robbery while armed in connection to the death of 71-year-old Michael Mahoney on the 2300 block of 11th Street, NW.

During the hearing, Brown pleaded not guilty. Judge Milton Lee scheduled Brown’s trial on Sept. 23, 2019.

According to court documents, police found Mahoney in his apartment on 11th Street suffering from two stab wounds to his neck. Multiple witnesses told police that Mahoney allowed Brown, 56, to sleep on his couch.

One of Mahoney’s neighbors told police that on the same day police found Mahoney, Brown came to the neighbor’s apartment to shower and the clothes he was wearing contained blood. Apparently, the neighbor found multiple articles of clothing and a towel stained with blood, the documents said.

Brown is scheduled for a status hearing on Jan. 4, 2019.

Murder Defendant Pleads Not Guilty After Indictment

A defendant pleaded not guilty after he was formally indicted Nov. 30 for allegedly stabbing a man to death in April.

A grand jury indicted Marquette Jordan on first-degree murder while armed and robbery while armed in connection to the death of 48-year-old Ivan Lynch in an apartment on the 900 block of 5th Street, SE.

Jordan, 27, was also indicted on assault with a dangerous weapon, simple assault and a threat to kidnap or injure a person.

According to court documents, a witness told police that Lynch and Jordan were arguing in the kitchen about something “insignificant” and eventually got into a physical altercation. The witness said Jordan grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Lynch three to four times.

After the formal reading of charges, defense attorney Jeffrey Stein requested to withdraw from the case. D.C. Superior Court Judge Milton Lee granted the request.

Jordan is slated to receive a new attorney on Dec. 4.

Document: Police Search for Suspect in NE Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating the shooting death of a 20-year-old man in Northeast DC.

According to a press release, Randall Francis was found with another man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the 1800 block of Benning Road, NE on Nov. 26. Francis succumbed to his injuries at an area hospital. The other victim was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Police have identified 20-year-old Malik Morris as a suspect. Authorities are requesting the public’s assistance in locating Morris. He is described as a black male with a medium complexion.

Anyone who knows Morris’ whereabouts, or has knowledge of this incident, should take no action but call the police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may also be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE — 50411.

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

Document: Homicide in Bellevue

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the death of a 23-year-old man who was fatally shot in Bellevue on Nov. 28.

According to a press release, police arrived at a nearby hospital and found Samuel Lee Smith being treated for multiple gunshot wounds. Smith ultimately succumbed to his injuries.

After further investigation, police said the shooting occurred on the 100 block of Irvington Street, SW.

Police have not identified a suspect at this time.

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

Judge Denies Defense’s Motion to Dismiss Murder Case

As a reason to motion for a murder case to be dismissed, an attorney said the prosecution did not disclose information that was needed to prepare an adequate argument for defense.

Keith Sweptson, 29, allegedly beat Yusef Turner, 33, to death at a laundromat located on the 3500 block of Georgia Ave., NW.

On Nov. 28, the defense said the prosecution failed to disclose witnesses’ identities and surveillance footage of the crime.

“Analyzing these witnesses is a part of the job, and without the information, that only the government can provide for me, I am unable to do that,” the defense attorney, John Fowler, told DC Superior Court Judge Craig Iscoe.

The prosecution said disclosing witnesses’ personal information was against the law, and the government could not allow their safety to be jeopardized.

Judge Iscoe denied the defense’s motion for dismissal and ordered the prosecution to release the footage as soon as possible.

Terms for a protective order regarding witnesses’ identities were discussed. The prosecution is required to file an order immediately.

The defendant was also offered a plea agreement for voluntary manslaughter. If accepted, Sweptson could serve a sentence between 8.5-16 years in prison.

The plea agreement is slated to be discussed when the hearing continues on Jan. 25.

Judge Says Murder Defendant Likely Committed November Homicide

A D.C. magistrate judge found probable cause Nov. 27 that a 32-year-old man allegedly killed a man nearly twice his age while robbing a gas station in Northeast DC.

Demetrius Pierce is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 68-year-old Nazir Ahmad on the 900 block of Brentwood Road, NE on Nov. 3.

Pierce is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 12.

According to court documents, surveillance footage shows a male suspect enter the Valero Gas Station’s 24-hour Food Mart on Brentwood Road and steal a cash register. Police later found Ahmad locked in the mart’s employee room suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

During the hearing, the prosecution argued in favor of probable cause, saying there was a trail of coins from the mart to a nearby McDonald’s, where police found a baseball cap with Pierce’s DNA.

However, Pierce’s defense attorney, Jeffrey Stein, said the DNA on the baseball cap is only consistent with the fact that his client hangs out in the area. Stein said there were no “distinct connections” that linked his client to the crime.

Subsequently, Judge Errol Arthur found probable cause based on details outlined in court documents and the footage. He also ordered Pierce held without bond because he violated the terms of his supervised release.

Pierce was previously convicted of burglary in 2016. He was released from prison eighteen months ago.