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Seth Holmes asks for forgiveness during sentencing


Seth Sinquan Holmes was sentenced to 13 years for the murder of Damonta Thompson in May of 2017.

When asked to give a statement at his sentencing, Holmes addressed Thompson’s family by asking for their forgiveness and saying that he hoped his punishment would help the family “find some relief.”
Damonta Thompson was found dead in early May. According to the prosecutor’s narrative, Thompson had gotten into a fight with Holmes while he was at the grocery store. After the fight was over the two returned to their cars where Holmes shot at Thompson four times.Thompson was found conscious, but died shortly after he was found. There were two others in Thompson’s car at the time. After shooting, Holmes fled to Florida. He was extradited in June.

During the sentencing, a statement from one of Thompson’s family members revealed that Holmes and Thompson were actually friends before the incident.

Holmes pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in August and was expecting a sentence between 10-14 years. His defense argued for him to be given the lowest sentence possible because he took responsibility for his actions by accepting the plea deal. Holmes’ attorney said he will use the time to “improve himself.”

After hearing from both sides, Judge Leibovitz emphasized the fact that Holmes had a “high” criminal history score before the incident occurred. She also stated that she found the case to be a “senseless, horrible crime.”

Holmes was sentenced Friday to 13 years, with five years of supervision.

Wade Wilson sentenced for the murder of Cortez Clark


Wade Wilson, 21, was sentenced on Friday for taking part, along with three others, in the murder of Cortez Clark in October of 2015.

On Oct. 16, 2017, the family and close friends of Clark attended the sentencing for three of the suspects charged with murdering the 32-year old. Cortez was found naked and lifeless in the hallway beside a vacant apartment in Congress Heights almost two years ago. According to the prosecutor, Clark was lured by Ameesha Gray, through a dating app, to the vacant apartment. When he entered the apartment, he was robbed, stabbed, and beaten to death by Wilson and two other men. He was then dragged downstairs to another vacant apartment, stripped, and left for dead.

Ameesha Gray and Tayvon Felton have also been sentenced for his murder, but John Allen’s case is being tried separately. Wilson pleaded guilty in January for the murder, after his fingerprints were found at the scene. During his trial on Friday, defense proposed he receive a Youth Act Sentence because he had graduated high school while in jail and was trying to improve his life.

The question for Wilson that was being debated in court was whether he would return to prison after being released. Judge Lee said in response to defense, “we will always make space in the prison system for you, if you do not get better”.

Wilson was sentenced to 9 years in prison and 5 years of supervised release.

Donnell Lewis Byrd fatally shot Thursday morning


Police are investigating the fatal shooting of Donnell Lewis Byrd.

Officers discovered Byrd, 30, in the 200 block of 54th Street, NE in the early hours of Thursday morning, October 12. The victim was found dead at the scene suffering from a gunshot wound. Byrd was transported to the Office of the chief Medical Examiner.

The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the death but has given no other information.

Police investigating midnight shooting; two dead, one injured


Two men were killed, and a third was injured in a shooting just before midnight on Tuesday.

Police are investigating the shooting in the 6200 block of 8th Street, NW where three adult males were found with gunshot wounds.

All three victims were transported to the local hospital, where two of the victims were pronounced dead. A third victim sustained non-life threatening injuries.

The two victims were identified as Renard Marsh and Sefjuan Jones.

Tayvon Felton apologizes to Cortez Clark’s family during sentencing


Tayvon Felton was sentenced to 14 years for his part in the murder of Cortez Clark in October of 2015.

When asked to give a statement before his sentencing, Felton turned to Clark’s family and close friends and apologized for taking Clark’s life and said he would pray for the family to “celebrate him everyday.”

Cortez Clark was found dead after he was assaulted and robbed in an apartment at 331 Parkland PI, SE in 2015. Originally, only defendant John Allen was charged with is murder, but later evidence led to additional arrests. Felton, Wade Wilson, and Allen all co-conspired to lure Cortez to Allen’s apartment using Ameesha Gray’s profile on a dating application called “Tagged,” according to warrants for their arrest.

Once Clark arrived at the apartment, the three men assaulted and robbed him. Allen revealed in a statement to the police that after the homicide, Felton and Gray fled the scene in Clark’s vehicle. In an interview with police, Felton explained that he and Allen had created a fake profile on “Tagged” as Gray in order to convince Clark into going on the date. Allen also told the police that during a phone call Gray had made with Clark, Felton told her what to say the whole time.

Felton pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter before the trial. His defense argued for his proposed sentence to be lowered from the original 12-18 years because of his struggles and growth as a person.Felton had been through a lot of trauma at a young age, his attorney said. This trauma included watching his brother murder his father at just 10-years-old. However, Judge Lee discussed Felton’s role in planning the robbery and murder of Clark and how he showed “callousness” in denying his part.

Ameesha Gray sentenced for luring Cortez Clark to his death

According to his family and friends, Cortez Clark was “expecting to meet a young lady— who he was excited to see” on the night that he was robbed and murdered.

In October of 2015, police found Cortez’s lifeless body in an abandoned apartment in Congress Heights. Suspect John Allen told police that Clark was “set up” by Allen and Tayvon Felton when they used Ameesha Gray’s profile on a dating website called “Tagged”.

Through the app, Clark and Gray exchanged phone numbers and planned to meet for a date. Charging documents reveal that Gray and Felton had planned this meeting with the intention of robbing him. When Clark arrived at the apartment, he was stabbed, beaten, and left for dead in an abandoned apartment. Though John Allen was initially charged for the stabbing, Wade Wilson and Tayvon Felton were sentenced for his murder. Allen’s trial is taking place separately.

Afterward, Gray and Felton left the complex in Clark’s vehicle. According to the defense, Gray went outside during the incident. Judge Lee questioned why Gray did not call for help if she sensed there was something wrong with the situation.

According to the defense’s narrative, Gray “had no idea” of what was happening in the apartment. However, it is unclear if Gray was completely unaware of the situation and was not the one initially sending the messages. Judge Lee referred to Gray as “the key” to the entire ordeal.

Gray pleaded guilty earlier in the year and was released under supervision. On Oct. 6, she was sentenced to two years for conspiring to commit a violent crime and two years for unauthorized use of a vehicle.