Co-defendants in Murder Case Plead Guilty

On Aug. 8, two co-defendants pleaded guilty to their respective roles in a murder case.

Michael “Mike” Jones and Khalil “Boogie” Davis admitted to fatally shooting Omar Rogers on the 2200 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE in 2017.

According to a proffer of facts submitted during the plea hearing, Rogers, 25, performed with his band, the “AJA Band,” at Uniontown Bar and Grill where Jones, 23, and Davis, 22, were also in attendance. After the club closed, Rogers had a brief verbal altercation with Jones and Davis in a parking lot behind the establishment.

A second altercation ensued after Rogers backed his car into Davis’ car, a 2001 red Oldsmobile Intrigue, when he was attempting to pull out of his parking spot.

Jones followed Rogers on foot to a nearby parking lot and fired seven shots within close range at Rogers. Jones then ran to Davis’ car, which was parked directly behind Rogers’ car, and jumped into the rear passenger seat. The two fled the scene.

A witness transported Rogers to a hospital, where he died soon after.

Jones pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed. Davis pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact of second-degree murder while armed.

Per the terms of the plea agreements, the prosecution dropped all other charges and requested that DC Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff sentence the co-defendants within the range provided by the sentencing guidelines.

According to the sentencing guidelines, Jones could receive a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison with five additional years on supervised release. Davis could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison with three additional years on supervised release. Following their prison terms, both men are required to register as gun offenders.

The defendants’ sentencing hearings are scheduled on Oct. 12.

Video Footage Shows Change in Defendant’s Story

During arguments, the prosecution in a murder trial, showed a recorded interrogation of a defendant changing his story several times.

Sean Green is charged with felony murder while armed for allegedly shooting Derrick Black on the 3300 block of Georgia Avenue, NW in 2015.

A Metropolitan Police Department detective, who interviewed Green, 27, told him that his DNA and phone were found at the murder scene. Green, who experienced bouts of homelessness during the time period, initially denied knowing anyone named Black and said his phone was stolen a month before the shooting.

However, during the taped interrogation, Green told the detective that a person named “Mike-Mike” gave him a gun and forced him, at gunpoint, to shoot Black. Green said he returned the gun to “Mike-Mike” after the shooting.

“He used me ‘cuz he know all I ever do is get high,” Green said during the interrogation. “He used me as a scapegoat.”

According to the prosecution, Green changed his story again, telling the detective that “Mike-Mike” didn’t actually threaten to kill him but instead promised him money and drugs.

Later, a female visitor, who seemed to have a romantic connection with Green, is seen speaking with him inside the interrogation room.

The woman scolded Green, encouraging him to “snitch” on the real killer. “I know you know who did it,” the woman said. “Don’t take nobody’s beef.” It is not apparent why the woman was allowed to speak with Green.

When the detective returned, Green said he lied and that he actually did not shoot Black. He said the real culprit was “Mike-Mike,” whose name was actually “Man-Man.”

Green asked the detective if he could be an “informant” or if he could be “pardoned” if he led the police to Black’s real killer.

D.C. Witness couldn’t verify if “Mike-Mike” or “Man-Man” is a real person. The police have not arrested anyone with the name “Man-Man” or alias “Mike-Mike” in connection with this homicide.

Jury deliberations are expected to begin on Aug. 9.

Jury Finds Defendant Guilty of 1st Degree Murder

After deliberating for less than a day, a jury found Aug. 9 a defendant guilty of first-degree murder while armed, among other charges.

Sean Green was convicted of fatally shooting Derrick Black on the 3300 block of Georgia Avenue, NW in 2015. Black, 24, fell in the street after being shot and was subsequently run over by a car. The incident was captured by a security camera.

The defendant was also found guilty of assault with intent to kill, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior felony.

During opening statements, prosecutors called attention to the physical evidence that linked Green, 27, to the crime scene. Green’s DNA was found on a gun-magazine recovered near the location where Black was killed.

According to court documents, the magazine had the capacity to hold ten cartridges, but only three cartridges were still inside the magazine when it was recovered. A forensic analyst said seven of the eight shell casings he received for examination were ejected from the same gun.

Green’s cell phone was also found on the scene.

According to Green’s defense attorney Steven Kiersh, several witnesses were not reliable. He said one witness was high on K2, a synthetic drug, on the night of the murder.

Also, witnesses gave various descriptions of the shooter. Some witnesses said the man who killed Black was thin and had long dreadlocks, however, Green is not thin and has short hair, Kiersh said. Another witness, a Metrobus driver, said the shooter had a medium build and did not have dreadlocks.

Kiersh also asked the jury to disregard the statements Green made during his initial interview with Metropolitan Police Department detectives. He emphasized that Green is “rambling and mumbling and cursing” when he is alone in the interrogation room. Green told detectives he was confused. Finally, Kiersh said Green had a “closed head injury” from a 2006 car accident that impaired his mental faculties.

The prosecution spent days of the trial playing hour-long chunks of Green’s interview with MPD detectives. During the footage, Green initially said he could not have committed the murder because he was being treated at the Clean and Sober Streets program on the night Black was killed.

However, the director of the Clean and Sober Streets program said Green did not start the program until Aug. 10, 2015, nearly a week after the homicide. The director said Green was not enrolled in the program at any point in July of 2015.

“You can’t get around the fact that your DNA is on that piece of evidence,” the detective said. “That camera caught the shooting. We see you brother, we see you. But you can help yourself by telling us what happened.”

Green then asked if there was any way he could secure a “pardon” for providing information on Black’s real killer. He also asked if he could be an informant for the MPD.

“That’s not how this works,” the detective said.

Green then switched gears and admitted to pulling the trigger, but said a person named Mike-Mike gave him a gun and forced him to kill Black.

Soon after, a woman entered the interrogation room while no detectives were present. She and Green hugged, and Green told her he knew who really killed Black. The woman encouraged him to “snitch.”

After the woman left and the detective returned, Green said he actually did not kill Black, and that the real killer was named “Man-Man.”

Green’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 2.

Police Arrest Suspect in 19th Street, SE Homicide

The Metropolitan Police Department arrested Aug. 8 Mark Price, a resident of Southeast DC, in connection to a July 30 homicide.

Price, 22, is being charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 47 year-old Andre Hakim Young on the 1500 block of 19th Street, SE.

Apparently, Young was one of two victims shot in a double shooting. According to the Washington Post, the other victim walked to an area hospital after being shot in the shoulder.

A MPD press release said Young was a resident of District Heights, Md.

Document: Homicide on Livingston Rd., SE

In the midst of summer — and for the first time in August — Washington, DC has recorded another homicide.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, 44-year-old Denard Orlando Hartwell, a resident of Northeast DC, was found Aug. 8 suffering from gunshot wounds on the 4400 block of Livingston Road, SE. The homicide has been recorded as the 73rd fatal shooting this year.

The Washington Post reported that a bystander took Hartwell to a hospital where he succumbed to his injures.

According to D.C. Witness data, there have been 96 homicides as of Aug. 8, a 28 percent increase from this same time last year. There were 75 documented homicides at this same time last year.

A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this case of any other homicide case in DC.

Drug Program Director Contradicts Defendant’s Alibi

A director with a local drug rehabilitation program contradicted a murder defendant’s alibi when he confirmed that the defendant was not actually in treatment at the time of the murder.

Sean Green is charged with felony murder while armed for allegedly shooting Derrick Black in 2015. Black, 24, was shot and run over by a car on the 3300 block of Georgia Avenue, NW.

The director of the Clean and Sober Streets program said Green’s start date in the program was on Aug. 10, 2015, more than a week after the murder. Green, 27, initially told police that he was in a drug treatment program at the time of the shooting and had nothing to do with it. Green left the program on Sept. 24, 2015, according to the director.

A gun magazine with Green’s DNA on it, which was recovered from the crime scene, was capable of holding 10 cartridges. There were three cartridges left in the magazine and seven casings were found on the scene.

In addition to the director’s testimony, the jury also heard from a witness who said he saw Black on the night of the shooting. The witness said he saw Black waving his shirt “as if he was flashing something.” The witness said Black had a gun in his waistband and that it was visible when he lifted his shirt.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Aug. 8.

Judge Finds Probable Cause from Child’s Statement

An 11-year-old child, who witnessed a double homicide, identified the murder defendant and his wife, according to a Metropolitan Police Department detective.

Alonzo Lewis is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Venius Badgett and Jaquon Helm on the unit block of Galveston Street, SW on May 26. Lewis was arrested on May 31.

According to court documents, the 11-year-old eyewitness saw Lewis stand over Badgett, 35, and shoot her before shooting Helm, 40. The victims had five children, who were not injured during the altercation.

According to a retired Maryland detective, one of his sources said Lewis’ wife initiated an altercation and then called her husband. The husband allegedly shot both victims and disassembled the firearm, discarding it into dumpsters. Police have not located the murder weapon nor pieces of it.

Helm was not breathing when police arrived on the crime scene. The District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that Helm was shot multiple times in the head and chest. Helm was lying next to Badgett, who died at the hospital.

During a preliminary hearing on Aug. 6, Craig Hicken, Lewis’ defense attorney, argued that the 11-year-old witness should not be considered reliable due to age.

However, after reviewing the evidence, DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson found that the 11-year-old’s account was corroborated by pictures taken at the crime scene, video footage from a surveillance camera and other testimonies. Judge Dayson found probable cause with substantial probability that Lewis could have committed the murders.

The prosecution extended a plea offer for two counts of second-degree murder while armed, but Lewis rejected the plea.

A felony status conference is scheduled for Oct. 30.

Judge Grants Motion to Push Back 2016 Murder Trial

On the day a murder trial was scheduled to take place, a DC Superior Court judge pushed the trial date back in light of the possibility of new DNA evidence.

Nathaniel Taylor is charged with felony murder while armed for allegedly shooting Nuru Frenche on the 4900 block of Just Street, NE in 2016.

Judge Juliet McKenna rescheduled the trial, which was previously slated to be held on Aug. 6, to Dec. 5 because the prosecution requested more time to retest DNA swabs. The prosecution said the swabs would be tested with upgraded equipment at a Signature Science lab to find any “useful matches” in the case.

Taylor’s defense attorney, Antoini Jones, said the additional testing could potentially bolster the idea that there is a “third-party perpetrator.”

According to court documents, a witness saw Taylor, 25; his previous co-defendant, Anthony Blackmone; and Frenche, 23, on the street. The witness also heard someone say “give that shit up” but was not sure if that person was Taylor or Blackmone.

Blackmone, 23, pled guilty to attempted robbery and voluntary manslaughter. In April, Blackmone was sentenced to six years in prison. According to the prosecution, Blackmone plans to testify against Taylor.

Taylor is scheduled for a status hearing on Oct. 5.

July Homicides Increase Nearly 46 Percent from Last Year

Homicide totals from July only confirm that Washington, DC’s spike in crime is getting worse.

According to D.C. Witness data, there were 19 homicides in DC in July, an increase of nearly 46 percent from 2017 and about 27 percent from June. There were 15 homicides in June and 13 homicides in July of 2017.

A majority of the July homicides resulted in shooting deaths. Four deaths resulted from fatal stabbings. One of the stabbing deaths was classified as self defense.

Of the 19 homicides, the Metropolitan Police Department has arrested Matthew Moore and Alton Rivers.

Although Moore, 33, has been detained since 2017 for the murder of Ronnell Reaves, 22, a second death was added to his first-degree murder charge. Apparently, Moore also allegedly shot 23-year-old Kevin Kennedy in 2017. Kennedy succumbed to his injuries on July 8.

Moore is scheduled for a status hearing on Sept. 7. A jury trial has been set for Jan. 7, 2019.

Alton Rivers was arrested by the MPD on July 27 for allegedly stabbing 68-year-old Anthony Anderson on the 3600 block of 14th Street, NW, earlier that day.

According to court documents, the murder weapon is believed to be a screwdriver. Rivers, 54, is charged with second-degree murder while armed. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 7.

The police are currently searching for two suspects involved in two shootings in July. The suspects are 28-year-old Marcus Whitaker, who is wanted for second-degree murder while armed, and 37-year-old Reginald Johnson, who is wanted for first-degree murder while armed.

Did a Police Officer Corrupt a Murder Scene?

During a murder trial, a Metropolitan Police Department reserve officer admitted to moving a cell phone at a crime scene before he realized it was evidence.

Sean Green is charged with felony murder while armed in connection to the 2015 death of Derrick Black on the 3300 block of Georgia Avenue, NW.

According to the reserve officer, who volunteers with the police, he picked up the cell phone after other officers arrived, thinking it belonged to another officer. When it occurred to him that it might have been evidence, the witness said he set it down several feet away from where he had found it.

Subsequently, Green’s defense attorney, Steven Kiersh, asked the witness why he did not put the phone back where he found it. The reserve officer said that would have only corrupted the scene more.

Another witness from the MPD said he used a software called “Cellbright” to extract information from the phone. In court, the prosecution displayed contact info, photos and texts pulled from the device.

There were several outgoing messages to an individual listed in the phone’s contacts as “Damen.” According to another witness, Damen is also the name of Green’s brother.

The trial is scheduled to resume Aug. 7.

Defendant Pleads Not Guilty to Fatal Stabbing, Again

On Aug. 3, a murder defendant underwent a second felony arraignment after he received a second indictment for the murder of a woman in 2014.

Mark Kenyatta Bowser, Jr., who was initially indicted in June of 2015, received two additional charges. Bowser, 39, allegedly stabbed Tracy Womack, 39, on the 4600 block of Benning Road, SE in 2014. Womack died at a near-by hospital hours later.

The two additional charges are of obstruction of justice. Apparently, Bowser tried to intimidate a witness from testifying. He is also charged with first-degree murder while armed, carrying a dangerous weapon and assault with a dangerous weapon outside a home or place of business.

The defendant pled not guilty. Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff rescheduled the trial from Jan. 29 to May 13, 2019. The trial had been rescheduled three times before, according to court records.

A status hearing is scheduled on Nov. 16.

More about the case

According to court documents, Bowser, who is also known as “Piggy,” entered Womack’s apartment and went to her bedroom while she was sleeping.

A witness said Bowser stabbed Womack as she screamed for help. When a neighbor from down the street came to assist, Bowser also assaulted the neighbor while he was leaving the scene.

A detective testified, during a preliminary hearing on Oct. 7, 2014,that the victim was stabbed more than 40 times.

The victim was found unconscious with her pants pulled down. Bowser was arrested two days after Womack’s death.

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

Document: Police Arrest Second Suspect for June Murder

On Aug. 3, the Metropolitan Police Department announced the arrest of Dearren Dawkins for the shooting death of Larry Harrell.

According to a press release, police found Harrell, 43, suffering from a gunshot wound on the 1200 block of Mount Olivet Road, NE on June 13.

After locating Harrell, police arrested 16-year-old Titus Iracks in connection to Harrell’s murder.

Dawkins, 21, and Iracks are both charged with first-degree murder while armed.

Judge Sentences Defendant to 23 Years for Gun and Obstruction Charges

On Aug. 3, a DC Superior Court judge sentenced a murder defendant to 23 years in prison.

In 2017, a jury found Derryck Decuir guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm with a prior felony, carrying a firearm without a license with a prior felony, obstruction of justice and tampering with physical evidence. The jury acquitted him for the charges of attempting to commit robbery while armed against a minor and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

However, the jury could not come to an unanimous decision with regard to Decuir’s first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence charges.

Decuir, 26, has been tried twice for allegedly shooting Malek Dayvon Mercer on the 2800 block of 28th Street, SE, in 2015.

Decuir was tried a second time in March for the murder and gun possession charges. The case resulted in a another mistrial; however, the prosecution said they plan to retry Decuir.

During his sentencing, the prosecution reiterated the facts of the case and said in 2015 Decuir left his home carrying a loaded semi-automatic firearm in violation of his probation for an unrelated case. The prosecution said that after his arrest for allegedly killing Mercer, 15, Decuir placed coded phone calls from jail to influence his friends and family to relocate the firearms, dispose of evidence and lie on his behalf.

The victim’s family was in attendance at the sentencing. During her impact statement, Mercer’s mother said that her son’s death “put a hole” in her family.

“We don’t have closure, we still don’t know what happened that night,” she said.

Prior to administering the sentence, Judge Puig-Lugo noted that Decuir demonstrated pride in owning three firearms while on probation. Apparently, Decuir uploaded pictures of the weapons on social media. Decuir also owned a 30-bullet magazine, which is commonly referred to has an extended clip.

“You (Decuir) were not defending yourself, you were preparing for an invasion,” Judge Puig-Lugo said. “This shows how little you care for the law and the court process.”

Judge Puig-Lugo ordered Decuir to undergo a mental health evaluation while incarcerated.

After his sentence, Decuir will serve five years on supervised release.

Murder Defendant Rejects Plea Deal

During a felony status conference on Aug. 2, a murder defendant rejected a plea deal.

Mario Alfaro is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Jonathan Vilchez, 22, on the 5400 block of Georgia Avenue, NW in 2017.

According to court documents, the incident was recorded by three different cameras. According to surveillance footage, Alfaro, 23, mouthed something to Vilchez while they were in a convenience store, before showing his firearm. A second video showed Vilchez drawing his gun and shooting Alfaro first. The third video shows Alfaro stop outside of the convenience store, load his gun and fire shots at Vilchez.

Police subsequently found a blood trail which led them directly to a dumpster where the murder weapon was located. The trail then led them to Alfaro, who was found suffering from gunshot wounds and brought to the hospital.

Under the plea agreement, Alfaro could have pled guilty to second-degree murder while armed with a firearm and the prosecution would drop all other charges.

A felony status conference is scheduled on Aug. 29.

Judge Grants Trial Delay in 2015 Murder Case

Nearly a month before a murder trial was scheduled to begin, a DC Superior Court judge granted the defense’s request to push back the date.

Ryan Thompson is charged with second-degree murder and reckless driving for his alleged involvement in the death of Matthew Roth, 22, at the intersection of 16th and Madison Streets, NW in 2015.

Thompson’s previous co-defendant, Rasheed Murray,accepted a plea agreement in July. The terms of the plea deal have not been released. But, as part of the deal, Murray agreed to testify against Thompson in court, according to the defense.

According to court documents, Thompson and Murray were street racing, traveling north on 16th Street, NW, when Murray lost control of his vehicle and struck Roth’s car. Roth was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and later pronounced dead. In 2016, Fox 5 reported that Thompson used to work as a firefighter with DC Fire and EMS.

Based on Murray’s plans to testify, Thompson’s defense attorney, Rebecca Bloch, motioned to push the trial date in an effort to have additional time to investigate and prepare for the prosecution’s case with Murray as the “star witness.”

The prosecution had no objection.

Judge Milton Lee granted the motion but said he was “troubled” by the amount of time he would have to delay the trial and noted that the case was more than three years old.

The trial, originally scheduled for September, was rescheduled to April 1, 2019.

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