A woman was fatally stabbed Sept. 18 as she jogged near her home in Logan Circle. Police are currently searching for the man they believed committed the homicide.
Wendy Karina Martinez, chief of staff at FiscalNote, a company that analyzes data for government relations, was attacked during the evening hours on the 1400 block of 11th Street, NW. According to news reports, Martinez, 35, was able to run into a nearby Chinese carryout restaurant where she received CPR from a practicing nurse.
Despite all life-saving efforts, Martinez succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.
The person of interest who police believe attacked Wendy Karina Martinez.
The Metropolitan Police Department released surveillance video of her attacker. The person of interest is described as a black male wearing a mustard-colored sweatshirt that was about thigh-length, dark-colored sweatpants that were rolled up to expose part of his shins with white socks and light-colored sandals on his feet.
“This is one of those types of unsettling incidents that sometimes happen in large cities, but it seems like a singular incident,” Police Chief Peter Newsham said during a press conference Sept. 19.
Logan Circle is located in Ward 2. According to D.C. Witness data, three homicides occurred in Ward 2 in 2018. As of Sept. 19, the stabbing is the only homicide to occur this year in or near Logan Circle.
There have been 110 homicides in DC so far this year compared to 89 homicides during the 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 homicide or any other homicide in DC.
The murder trial of Daron Wint is proving to be a communal nightmare for all. What happened in the Woodley Park mansion seems like something from “Nightmare on Elm Street.” Only this time the victims and the killer are real.
Wint, a person who already maintained assault and destruction of property convictions, is charged with multiple counts of felony and first-degree murder along with other charges for allegedly killing Savvas Savopoulos, 46; his wife, Amy, 47; their son, Philip, 10, and one of their housekeepers, Veralicia Figueroa, 57, at the Savopoulos home located on the 3200 block of Woodland Drive, NW in 2015.
For the next two-months, jurors will have to analyze each piece of evidence from photos of the decedents to taped recordings from Savvas and Amy before they died, to emotional testimonies from family, friends, neighbors and employees. Unfortunately, there is no waking up from this nightmare.
On the other hand, is the nightmare a communal rush to convict?
During opening statements, Wint’s defense team said he was set-up by his brothers. Apparently, one of his brothers was charged with attempted murder and pleaded guilty to first-degree assault in Maryland for a case that involved different victims. That would mean that even if Wint is convicted, perhaps not all those responsible will see justice.
During the trial, the prosecution opened with emotion, using the testimonies of one of the family’s two housekeepers; the Chief Financial Officer at American Ironworks, Savvas’ company; and Amy’s father who spoke of his grandson.
But, whatever the verdict, this grandfather will probably always wonder whether the Louisville Slugger baseball bat he gave to his grandson, was the very bat used to torture and beat his daughter, son-in-law and their maid? Did the killer(s) beat Philip with his own bat as well? These answers are too horrifying to even consider, but the 16-member jury has to.
And yet, too many questions remain. Could this have been an inside job? After all, several calls were made before the murders to understand the security system and know where the footage was housed. Now, that upstairs computer is gone. No one knows if it will ever be recovered. Were the killer(s) that smart, professional?
There is also the nightmare of second-guessing. Figueroa’s husband, the family’s neighbors, friends and co-workers are left with “what if.” What if they questioned Amy more when they saw her that day? What if the husband went to the police after his wife didn’t come home and he heard that scraping sound? What if more alarms were raised when Savvas requested that large sum of cash? What if the pizza delivery person disregarded instructions and waited to see who answered the door? What if Savvas’ assistant chose to disregard his instructions?
A DC Superior Court judge sentenced Sept. 14 a convicted murderer to 24 years in prison after removing him from the courtroom after several outbursts.
Christian Romero stabbed Dimas Fuentes-Lazo in2016 on the 800 block of Kennedy St, NW. A jury found him guilty of second-degree murder while armed on Feb. 23. In addition to the murder conviction, Romero, 26, also has a 2012 conviction for assault with a dangerous weapon in Prince George’s County, Md. Apparently, he was on probation for the assault when the homicide occurred.
“The offense in Maryland was also a stabbing and the underlying conduct in the previous case is similar to this case,” Judge Juliet McKenna said.
According to court documents, the homicide occurred after Romero began slapping the side-view mirrors of cars parked along Kennedy Street, NW. When Lazo’s friend yelled out, Romero aggressively confronted Lazo and his friend.
Surveillance footage shows Romero waving his arms aggressively, attempting to strike the men. He then appears to drop a knife, pick it up and charge at Lazo, 38, who appears to step backwards. Lazo was stabbed multiple times around his face, upper chest and arms.
The knife along with a Coca-Cola bottle and a broken watch were left on the scene. All items contained Romero’s DNA, according to the documents.
A DC Superior Court judge extended the prosecution’s indictment deadline to Oct. 5, nearly a week after the first extension, which was scheduled on Sept. 27.
According to court documents, one of Thompkins’ family members told police that Moore, 29, shot Thompkin and that Harris, 30, drove the getaway car. Another witness told police Moore said he wanted to kill Thompkins on multiple occasions.
Moore’s defense attorney, Kevin Mosley, along with Harris’ attorney, Michael Madden, objected Sept. 17 to the extension. Mosley said he and his client were “sitting in the dark with no information.” According to Mosley, the defense has not received any updates on the prosecution’s investigation.
Judge Danya Dayson scheduled a felony arraignment on Oct. 10. Moore and Harris have a trial date set for Sept. 3, 2019.
A DC Superior Court judge gave a murder defendant extra time to seek outside counsel after he withdrew his guilty plea because he was skeptical of the deal he made with prosecutors.
Kadeem Quarles, 26, is charged with felony murder while armed for allegedly shooting and robbing Timothy Spicer on the 1100 block of Howard Road, SE in 2007.
According to court documents, Quarles, Maurice Blakey, Randolph Williams and a fourth individual, robbed Spicer, 25, at the Anacostia Metro Station. Quarles’ girlfriend allegedly orchestrated the set-up, convincing Spicer to meet her. She has not been charged in the murder.
When Spicer arrived, he was shot twice, crashing his vehicle before exiting and fleeing inside the metro station. Quarles and Williams, 27, drove Spicer’s car, a 1994 Chevrolet Caprice, from the scene. Blakey, 27, and the fourth individual followed behind in a different vehicle, documents stated.
Quarles and Williams were forced to abandon the car when the police spotted them. Even though Quarles initially escaped, Williams was apprehended.
Nearly seven years later, in 2014, a baseball cap recovered during the chase matched Quarles’ DNA. In 2016, witness testimony placed him at the scene of the robbery and he was officially charged with murder later that year.
During a hearing Sept. 12, the prosecution requested that Judge Judith Bartnoff uphold the defendant’s initial plea, citing concerns that a resolution could take an additional six to eight months and delay closure for the victim’s family.
“Withdrawing a guilty plea is much harder to do after sentencing than before,” the judge said.
Judge Bartnoff said she would appoint independent counsel to consult with Quarles because his defense attorney, Michael Madden, “exhausted his advice.” Sentencing was continued to Sept. 26, when the court is expected to discuss whether there is a basis for a plea withdrawal.
DNA results on evidence recovered from a murder scene would be available in October, the prosecution said.
Marquette Jordan is charged with second-degree murder for allegedly stabbing Ivan Lynch on the 900 block of 5th Street, SE on April 30. According to court documents, Lynch, 48, was stabbed twice in the chest and twice in the back. The incident apparently followed a physical altercation between the two men.
The prosecution said it would file an indictment after the evidence is tested.
A District of Columbia Superior Court Magistrate judge denied Sept. 14 bond for a murder suspect based on concerns for public safety.
Timothy Gibson is charged with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Carl Day-Baker on the 1500 block of T Street, SE on Sept. 1.
According to court documents, the two men were involved in a physical altercation that stemmed from a domestic fight between Day-Baker, 28, and Gibson’s sister.
Apparently, Gibson’s sister called her friend, whom Gibson, 27, was with at the time, and said her boyfriend kicked her and her child out the house.
Gibson’s sister received a call from the decedent’s brother asking her to speak with Day-Baker and himself about the domestic incident that had occurred moments earlier. Gibson’s sister agreed to meet them on T Street.
According to a witness, Gibson, his sister and the woman were sitting in the car when the decedent and his brother approached the vehicle.
Apparently Day-Baker threw the first punch in the altercation. The decedent’s brother joined the fight and slammed Gibson to the ground, which ended the fight, according to the documents.
Witnesses said Gibson then retrieved a gun from his vehicle and shot Day-Baker twice as the decedent was leaving the scene. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Gibson is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 19.
A murder trial for Kenneth Adams, which was scheduled to begin on Oct. 1, has changed to a motions hearing. The trial is now set for Oct. 9.
Adams, 20, allegedly shot Dante Kinard, 21, on the 1800 block of Benning Road, NE in 2016. He is charged with first-degree murder while armed.
On Oct. 1, counsel will deliberate on three motions, including a motion to suppress identification, which would allow the prosecution to conceal the names of witnesses; a motion to exclude certain facts from the jury; and a motion to review evidence provided in the case.
Nikki Lotze, Adams’ defense attorney, said the defense would be ready for trial after reviewing ballistics analysis obtained by the prosecution.
The DC Line featured a commentary from D.C. Witness Editor-in-Chief LaTrina Antoine on the non-profit organization’s mission to deliver data-driven statistics to help community members and government officials create better solutions to solve the city’s homicide problem.
The defense for Carmelita Henderson told a judge Sept. 13 that DNA evidence would be tested “very soon.”
Henderson, 50, is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting Levi Kinte Davis, 38, on the 4200 block of East Capitol Street, NE on Sept. 16, 2015.
The defense said it is deciphering between what evidence to send an independent lab after the prosecution found a positive match of Henderson’s DNA on one of the gun shells found in Henderson’s car.
The defense also expressed difficulty accessing videos sent by the prosecution. The prosecution offered to assist, telling the court that a specific process is required to open the files.
A trial readiness hearing is scheduled for March 29. A trial is scheduled for April 20.
The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating a pedestrian fatality Sept. 12 that occurred at the intersection of North Capitol Street and Channing Street, NW.
According to a press release, around 9:30 p.m., the operator of a white Hyundai Sonata struck 67-year-old Johnson Woolo Doerue while he was crossing from the east side to the west side of North Capitol Street.
The police could not specify if the driver is going to face any charges.
Police are requesting the public’s assistance. Anyone with information on the fatality is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police Department at 202-727-9099.
The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating a traffic fatality that occurred Sept. 12 on the 1500 block of 18th Street, SE.
According to a preliminary investigation, 37-year-old Keisha Whitaker was a passenger in a Subaru Forrester when it mounted the northeast curb at the intersection of 18th and Q Streets and hit a tree. Whitaker succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital.
Police have not released information about the cause of the accident or if the driver of the vehicle was also injured.
Throughout the month of August, the District of Columbia endured eight homicides, nearly a 60 percent decrease from July. However, there have been no arrests or persons of interest in connection to any of them, as of Sept. 10.
The first homicide of the month started a week after August began.
On Aug. 8, Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the 4400 block of Livingston Road, SE to investigate reports of gunfire. Officers arrived at an area hospital where Denard Orlando Hartwell was being treated for an apparent gunshot wound in connection to the Livingston Road shooting. Hartwell, 44, succumbed to his injuries.
Kayvon Herder
Nearly a week later, on Aug. 14, police arrived on the 6200 block of Dix Street, NE and found two men suffering from gunshot wounds. The duo was brought to a nearby hospital, where 25-year-old Kayvon Herder succumbed to his injuries. The other male, who has not been identified, sustained non-life threatening injuries.
Franklin Byers
On Aug. 18, police found Franklin Byers, 35, suffering from a stab wound on the 500 block of Rhode Island Avenue, NE.
A day later, police found 35-year-old Keith Douglas on the 3900 block of Southern Avenue, SE suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Keith Douglas
Douglas is one of four decedents to be killed in the Southeast quadrant in August. An additional three homicides took place in Northeast DC and the remaining homicide took place in Northwest DC.
On Aug. 23, police found Travis Barksdale, 25, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the 600 block of Evarts Street, NE.
Three days later, police found Piera Sterling Barbour suffering from a gunshot wound on the 600 block of 46th Place, SE. Barbour, 28, was pronounced dead on the scene.
A day later, less than an hour into Aug. 27, police found 36-year-old Tony Lamont Payne, Jr., suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the 3900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.
Approximately 30 minutes later, police found two males suffering from gunshot wounds on the 1900 block of 9th Street, NW. Both men were brought to a nearby hospital where 22-year-old Phillip Dumbuya was subsequently pronounced dead. The second victim sustained non-life threatening injuries.
Dumbuya was the youngest victim of the month.
August Led to Multiple Homicide Arrests
While no arrests have been made in connection to August homicides, eight arrests were made in relation to previous homicides.
On Aug. 3, MPD arrested and charged Dearren Robert Dawkins, 21, with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the shooting death of 43-year-old Larry Harrell on the 1200 block of Mount Olivet Road, NE in June. Titus Iracks, 16, was also arrested for Harrell’s murder in June.
On Aug. 8, the police arrested and charged Mark Price, 23, with first-degree murder while armed for the fatal shooting of 47-year-old Andre Young on the 1500 block of 19th Street, SE in July.
On Aug. 21, officers arrested Kevin Carter, 30, with premeditated first-degree murder for the death of 33-year-old Yusef Turner on the 3500 block of Georgia Avenue, NW in April. Keith Sweptson, 30, who is also charged with premeditated first-degree murder in connection to Turner’s death, was arrested in April.
A day later, on Aug. 22, the police arrested and charged Marcel Vines, 22, with first-degree murder while armed for the shooting death of 23-year-old Kerrice Lewis on the 800 block of Adrian Street, SE in 2017.
Six days later, on Aug. 28, police arrested and charged Malique Lewis, 20, with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in Kerrice’s death. Ashton Briscoe, 24, who is also charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection to Kerrice’s murder, was arrested in February.
On Aug. 25, Qujuan Thomas, 20, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed for the fatal shooting of 10-year-old Makiyah Wilson on the 300 block of 53rd Street, NE in July.
Two days later, police arrested and charged Quentin Michals, 21, with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in Wilson’s death.
The same day, Aug. 27, Cedric Alexander, 47, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed for his alleged involvement in the shooting death of 38-year-old Daquan Hooks on the 1900 block of 13th Street, SE in 2017.
Police Release Identities of Skeletal Remains
During a press conference Aug. 15, MPD Police Chief Peter Newsham announced the names of the three skeletal remains that were found on the 100 block of Wayne Place, SE in April.
The three women were identified as 48-year-old Jewel King, who was fatally shot; 41-year-old Verdell Jefferson, whose cause of death was deemed blunt force trauma and 43-year-old Dorothy Butts, who was also fatally shot.
MPD is offering up to a $25,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the suspect or suspects involved in this case.
The Metropolitan Police Department is currently investigating the fatal burning of a 6-month-old baby girl on the 1900 block of Valley Terrance, SE.
On Sept. 5, DC Fire and EMS personnel transported Brooklynn Zakiyaa Hill-Davis to a local hospital for life-threatening injuries. She died on Sept. 10.
Police are offering up to a $25,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in this homicide or any other homicide in DC. Anyone with information can contact the Police at 202-727-9099. Anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by sending a text message to 50411.
“This is what nightmares are made of,” an attorney for the prosecution said Sept. 11 during his opening statement in a murder trial that has garnered an immense amount of attention in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
Daron Wint is charged with first-degree murder,felony murder while armed, first-degree burglary, extortion, kidnapping, arson, kidnapping against a minor and first-degree theft. He allegedly kidnapped, tortured and murdered Amy Savopoulos, 47; Philip Savopoulos,10; Savvas Savopoulos,46; and Veralicia Figueroa, 57 in the Savopoulos residence, located on the 3200 block of Woodland Drive, NW, in 2015.
They were “beaten, bound, tortured, killed,” the attorney said. “Burned, charred, beyond all recognition,”he continued, pointing a finger at Wint, 36. Then that “coward fled back to Maryland.”
As the prosecutor spoke to the jury he recreated the scene of the murder, bringing jurors through step-by-step of the environment emergency personnel endured as they tried to rescue any victims.
As one firefighter crawled around an upstairs bedroom, he felt a body in a chair and then another one on the floor. According to court documents, Amy, Savaas and Figueroa, the family’s maid, were dead in one room. The child, charred to a crisp, in another.
According to the Office of the Medical Examiner in the District of Columbia, Amy, Savvas and Figueroa were stabbed and beaten with a baseball bat. Savvas was also strangled. Both Amy and Savvas died before the fire began. The same case cannot be determined for the boy. Even though Philip’s charred body displayed multiple stab wounds to the abdomen, the medical examiner cannot verify if he was alive before the fire was set. The clothes of all the victims, along with the rooms they were trapped in were drenched with gasoline.
Figueroa, who was strangled as well, was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
“Why did this happen? Money, greed, ransom,” said the prosecution. Apparently, Wint worked for Savvas for two years, previously. It’s “no secret the boss, owner had money.”
On May 14, Savvas gave specific instructions to his assistant and driver to deliver $40,000 of the company’s money to his home in Northwest DC. According to the prosecutor, the assistant was told to place the money in the trunk of a fancy sports car in the garage. He did as instructed and left the scene.
The prosecution said there are five separate pieces of DNA evidence linking Wint to the crime, including pizza crust, a construction vest, a knife used to prop open a first floor window, a hair strand found inside a construction hat in the garage and another strand found on the bedding inside the room where Amy, Savvas and Figueroa were found.
“We are going to put this together for you; piece-by-piece,” he said.
“For all the charges, he is guilty,” the prosecution said, explaining that even if Wint did not kill the decedents, his presence in the house is enough to convict him of the murders.
The defense wasted no time explaining to the jury the crime was carried out by two other men, both the brothers of Wint.
“DNA doesn’t lie, but it doesn’t tell you the whole story,” defense attorney Jeffrey Stein said. “Siblings that have the same mother will have the same DNA hair profile.”
Wint’s DNA was not found on the murder weapons, a samurai sword and a baseball bat.
The defense also said the assistant should be a person of interest. He had only been employed for seven weeks and is linked to people who changed portions of the ransom money into money orders days after the incident, Stein said. Also, when police conducted a search of the assistant’s vehicle, they reported a heavy gasoline odor on the passenger side.
Stein told the jury that Wint could not have known to cut telephone wires, destroy the in-home surveillance system, and silence the family’s two dogs. The defense implied that more than one man was responsible for restraining, torturing and murdering four people.
“There is only one verdict consistent with the law and with justice and it is not guilty,” Stein said.
Jerel Flint, an intern with D.C. Witness, also contributed to this story.
