Phone Records Connect Co-Defendants in Murder Case

By Delaney Don [former] - November 15, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects | Victims |

During a Nov. 14 trial, four witnesses testified on evidence presented to the jury.

Derek Turner, 31, is charged with first-degree murder while armed and conspiracy and Ronnika Jennings, 44, is charged with conspiracy in connection to the shooting of 28-year-old Andrew McPhatter on March 5, 2017, on the 3500 block of Wheeler Road, SE. 

The third defendant, 33-year-old Duan Hill, is charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice in this matter as well.

Turner is also charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly shooting 23-year-old Devin Hall on Jan. 7, 2017 on the 3500 block of 6th Street, SE. 

The first witness, a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) detective in the homicide unit, continued his testimony on the interview recording he conducted with Jennings that the prosecution presented on Nov. 10. 

In the video, the witness threatens Jennings with polygraph tests and states, “you’re a tough lady” and he wishes “he could treat you bad,” but that she was too “stubborn.” Jennings willingly submits to the possibility of polygraph testing and willingly surrenders her phone as well.

Another MPD officer testified to the search and seizure he performed on Turner’s cell after a search warrant was filed to investigate Jennings’s involvement with the case. Inside the cell, the officer found several documents and a piece of paper with phone numbers scribbled on it and labeled “Fatz” stashed under Turner’s mattress.

An expert witness from T-Mobile appeared to confirm the records T-Mobile acquired and stored from Turner’s phone included calls and text messages to Jennings. The records reflected the same phone numbers that were scribbled on the piece of paper in Turner’s cell.

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa J. Demeo set the trial to continue on Nov. 15.

The prosecution expects to rest by the end of the day Tuesday.