Testimony Continues in Triple Homicide Case

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 15, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

April 14 marked the third day of a hearing to determine if a triple homicide case has enough evidence to go to trial. 

Co-defendants Jibri Qayyum, 44, and Dale Benjamin, 33, are charged with second-degree murder while armed for their alleged roles in the shootings of 56-year-old Claudette Williams, 26-year-old Marquise Lewis and 20-year-old Juwan Wade. 

On July 7, 2020, around 1:15 a.m., Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers responded to the 5000 block of Bass Place, SE. They found two of the victims in a vehicle and another  nearby, all suffering from gunshot wounds. 

An MPD detective testified that Qayyum insisted he was not in the area at the time of the crime. According to the detective, Qayyum gave the MPD permission to search his phone and talk to his girlfriend. 

The prosecution spoke with Qayyum’s girlfriend, who said  they had been living together at the time of the homicide. 

She said that she is a light sleeper, and didn’t hear Qayyum leaving during the night. 

“My routine is easy to remember, because we’re always together,” she said. 

The prosecution said she could not be trusted as a reliable source in this case. 

“He was living with her at the time of the arrest, and I think that bias needs to be taken into account,” the prosecutor said. “She most decidedly does not want Mr. Qayyum to go down for a triple murder.” 

Judge Neal Kravitz scheduled the proceedings to pick back up on April 15. 

Brennan Fiske wrote this article.