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By
D.C. Witness Staff
- July 8, 2015
Homicides
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Victims
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After he allegedly fatally punched, stabbed and stomped on Kevin Sutherland, Jasper Spires robbed two people also on-board a red-line train, and accidentally dropped a backpack carrying identifying information, according to the warrant for his arrest.
Police charged Jasper Spires with first-degree murder while armed for the death of Sutherland on July 4, and witness accounts of the events including in the warrant paint a grisly picture of Sutherland’s death at the hands of Spires.
Spires, fresh out of jail after a prior arrest, and Sutherland, on his way to meet friends to celebrate the holiday, were both aboard the red-line train in car 3045 when Spires walked toward Sutherland and tried to steal an item from his waist area, according to witnesses. Sutherland tried to fight the robbery, but was punched repeatedly by Spires until he fell to the ground. While on the ground, Sutherland cried out for help and threw his cell phone at Spires in defense.
According to witnesses, Spires then took out his black folding knife and stabbed Sutherland in the chest, abdomen, upper right back, left side, right side and both arms. Spires then walked around the subway car before he stomped on Sutherland. After the attack, Spires stole money from two others on the subway. He walked up to one victim and asked, “What do ya’ll got?” and proceeded to sift through the victim’s pockets. Spires stole the man’s subway card and his wallet.
According to a different witness, when Spires stepped off the subway car at the NOMA-Gallaudet Metro Station, Spires jumped the turnstile to leave the station where he dropped a black book bag. In the book bag, retrieved by a Metro employee, were camouflage pants, beige cloth with blood and an AmeriHealth health insurance card with the name “Jasper Spires.”
Two days prior to the attack on the subway, Spires was arrested for robbery with force and violence and an assault on a police officer. He was released on July 4, and received his personal items back. These items included a black book bag, clothing and glasses. The police were able to look at footage of Spires recovering his items on the day he was released and match it to the book-bag left at the metro station. An officer who had twice encountered Spires before, was also able to identify Spires after shown footage from the metro stop. The officer also said when he had met Spires before, he would “act as if he were under the influence and would talk to himself.”
Later, police found a black folding knife in a trash can at the subway station.
According to the arrest affidavit, Spires is being charged with first-degree murder while armed.