Parties Deliver Closing Arguments in Homicide Trial 

By Adriana Marroquin - January 3, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

On Jan. 2, parties delivered closing arguments following a multi-week trial in front of DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun. 

Mussye Rezene, 31, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a prior convict, for his alleged involvement in the death of 17-year-old Brayan Villatoro on Sept. 18, 2021, on the 1300 block of Nicholson Street, NW. 

In their closing arguments, prosecutors claimed that the evidence they presented throughout the trial proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Rezene was the perpetrator of Villatoro’s death. 

They specifically argued their evidence, which included conversations between the two where they discussed drugs, guns and meet ups, Rezene’s social media, and cell site data all put Rezene in the surrounding area of the homicide at the time of the shooting. Prosecutors insist the evidence proves his intent to kill, premeditation, deliberation, and willingness to ensure Villatoro’s death. 

Although surveillance footage does not depict the shooting, or the face of the shooter, they argued that clothes recovered from Rezene’s residence during the execution of a search warrant match those of the shooter, claiming that Rezene’s Balenciaga sneakers match the black shoes with white laces seen in surveillance footage. 

Prosecutors discussed what many witnesses stated in their testimony, including Villatoro’s friends who they deemed as uncooperative, claiming one of them went as far as stating “there are consequences for testifying”. 

They also claimed that one of Rezene’s friends, who has attended the trial regularly, communicated with the uncooperative witnesses, giving one of them a thumbs up. “They feared for their lives, and they showed us that in their testimony,” prosecutors said. 

Prosecutors insisted that, on the night of the murder, Rezene and his close friend and co-defendant in another homicide matter posted images on Instagram bragging about the killing, with both individuals including songs on their stories.

One was titled Murder, and the other had the words “rest in peace to all the opps, f**k them”. In Rezene’s post, which was displayed to the jury, the defendant added “you’re better off fu***n round wit Aids and cancer”. 

“The evidence shows he’s guilty and demands you find him guilty,” ended prosecutors. 

To the contrary, Jonathan Zucker, Rezene’s defense attorney, argued the prosecution had failed to meet their burden of proof, and their evidence did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Rezene was the shooter. 

“Mussye Rezene is looking to you for a fair verdict in this case,” said Zucker, adding “The only verdict that justice allows in this case is not guilty.” 

Zucker also argued that it was only by happenstance that the shooting was not recorded by cameras in the area, and insisted that the prosecutors’ arguments are “misleading”. 

“This is a case of somebody seeing what they want to see,” he claimed, stating that the prosecution was asking the jury to draw inferences from things that don’t make sense in the case. 

“Police make mistakes, prosecutors present those cases, and sometimes people who are not guilty get convicted,” said Zucker, requesting they don’t convict a man who he claims is innocent, adding “Somebody’s life is at stake here,” and “you have a duty to find him not guilty.” 

In their rebuttal, prosecutors insisted to the jury, stating “find him guilty of murdering Brayan Villatoro.” 

The jury is slated to begin deliberations Jan. 3.