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Kenneth Rice sentenced for the murder of Dennis Wise

On Friday, Kenneth Rice was sentenced to 9 years for the fatal stabbing of 51-year-old Dennis Wise in March.

At around 2 a.m. on March 11, police found Dennis Wise face down on a bed in a house in the 1800 block of Bruce Pl., SE. A few hours earlier police had arrived at the house to investigate an assault that was called in by Wise. Wise reported that he was assaulted by a man named “Kenneth.” When police arrived at the scene, the homeowner told officers that Kenneth Rice and Wise had gotten into a short fight over food and that it was over. When officers returned a short time later, Wise had stab wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rice, 31, had been arrested for a burglary on V Street at the same time as the crime scene investigation for Wise’s murder. Once at the police department, Rice immediately asked for a lawyer before responding to any questions. He was arrested three weeks after the murder and charged with second-degree murder while armed.

In September he pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed. After his sentence is fulfilled, he will undergo three years of supervised release.

Man arrested after fatal shooting Saturday morning

A 47-year-old man was arrested in connection to a fatal shooting on Saturday morning.

Kevin Lamont Smith was arrested on Dec. 2 for the alleged murder of Valerie Regina Coleman. He is charged with second-degree murder while armed.

Officers found Coleman, of Southeast, with multiple gunshot wounds in a house on the 1700 Block of 16th Street, SE. She was pronounced dead on the scene and taken to the Chief Medical Examiner.

Smith is due back in court on Dec. 4.

42-year-old man arrested for alleged murder

Gregory Williams, 42, was arrested on Dec. 4 for the alleged murder of Andrew Alphonso Cook, III, of NE.

Officers arrived on the 1700 block of North Capitol Street, NE, on Sept. 23 and found Cook with a stab wound. He was taken to an area hospital where he died from his injuries two days later.

Williams was charged with first-degree murder while armed.

Witness testifies he was robbed near shooting

A witness who was nearby when a 38-year-old man was fatally shot was called to testify during trial.

Antwon Green is charged with second-degree murder for allegedly murdering Breond Keys, who was shot while getting a haircut at a barbershop in Southeast DC.

The witness on the stand was robbed in an alleyway near the barber shop and a book bag was taken from him. Inside the bag were 18 dollars, some knives and personal documents — one knife and a personal document from the book bag were identified by the witness during the trial.

The witness testified he was in the alleyway the previous night to hand out samples of drugs he had purchased and returned the next morning to see people’s reactions, when he was robbed by someone he didn’t recognize in a mask.

The robber assaulted and threatened to shoot the witness, before taking his belongings.

The witness returned to his stepdad’s house nearby, where he stayed for the rest of the day.

The government played video recordings from various stores, including the front of the barber shop, and asked the witness if he was in any of the recordings.

The witness said he was not recorded in any of the videos played for the jury. He testified he had never been inside that barber shop and did not murder Breond Keys.

Man sentenced to 14 years for murder of Tyronn Hodges

A man charged with fatally shooting Tyronn Hodges was sentenced to 14 years in jail.

Myshawn Allen was sentenced for second-degree murder while armed.

In August, the 23-year-old pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed as part of a plea deal. He will be placed on five years of supervised release following his sentence.

Hodges was fatally shot on Feb. 1 on the 900 block of Eastern Ave., NE. Police arrived on the scene after hearing gunshots and located Hodges with gunshot wounds in a car, where he was pronounced dead. Allen was arrested on the scene.

Court finds probable cause to hold Talib Clay for Ernest Edwin Baylor, Jr. killing

In a hearing Monday, Judge Zoe Bush ruled substantial probable cause exists to hold Talib Clay for allegedly murdering Ernest Edwin Baylor, Jr. killing.

On Friday, Oct. 27, police found Ernest Edwin Baylor, Jr. with gunshot wounds in the 2200 block of Hunter Place, SE. Baylor was taken to a local hospital for treatment and was pronounced after life-saving efforts failed. A little more than two weeks later, 28-year-old Talib Clay was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed for Baylor’s murder.

Baylor’s family and close friends sat in court during Clay’s preliminary hearing, as the prosecution argued that enough evidence existed to hold Clay for the murder. Homicide detective Thomas Roy testified that a surveillance video and a photograph show Clay’s car at the scene of the crime during the murder. According to charging documents, Clay had admitted in an interview that only he and his girlfriend had the key to his car and consistently drove it. The government also argued that Clay had a motive in the crime because Baylor had admitted a few days earlier that he had murdered one of Clay’s close friends.

Clay’s attorney argued for the judge to release Clay, at least until the government found more evidence. During cross examination of detective Roy, the detective testified that two of the witnesses had described the shooter as being the same height as Baylor. The defense argued the witnesses were describing a different man because Clay’s height is substantially taller than Baylor’s. According to the defense, another man fits the description the two witnesses gave at the scene. That man allegedly also has a motive in the crime because he had gotten into an intense argument with Baylor a few days prior to the incident, Clay’s attorney said.

Because of his car’s appearance at the scene, and the possibility of a motive, the judge ordered Clay held.
He is scheduled for a felony status conference on March 2, 2018.

One suspect arrested and second suspect sought for the killing of a 16-year-old

Two suspects have been identified for the murder of 16-year-old Yoselis Regino Barrios that took place Nov. 7.

Yoselis Regino Barrios along with another adult male were found with gunshot wounds in an alley in the 1300 block of Rittenhouse Street, NW. The adult male was treated for non-life threatening injuries. Barrios, 16, was pronounced dead after all life-saving efforts failed.

On Wednesday, 20-year-old Kevin Sorto was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed. He is currently awaiting presentment. Police are still seeking the public’s assistance in searching for a second suspect, 17-year-old Victor Hernandez. Hernandez, seen in the picture below, is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 5’5”, 165 lbs, brown eyes, and black hair. He is currently wanted on a arrest warrant for first-degree-murder while armed.

Joseph Phill Smith fatally shot on Thanksgiving


Joseph Phill Smith was fatally shot on Thanksgiving day.

At approximately 7:07 p.m. on Thanksgiving, Smith was found by police unconscious with multiple gunshot wounds in the 2400 block of Elvans Road, SE. He was found with no signs consistent with life. Another victim was located with multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to a hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

No suspect information has been released.