DC Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz sentenced a homicide defendant to 18 years in prison after statements from the victim’s close family members on April 10.
Dearay Wilson, 30, pleaded guilty on Feb. 13 to second-degree murder while armed for his involvement in the fatal shooting of 53-year-old Jeremy Black on June 29, 2021 on the 1400 block of R Street, NW. Black was a Peace Corps worker.
As part of the deal, parties agreed to a sentence between 15-to-21 years imprisonment.
According to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), the incident occurred in a crowded area and Wilson was accompanied by three other armed individuals, but none of them have been identified.
Black’s wife, two sons, parents, and sister all gave statements at the hearing before the prosecution made their request for sentencing. Black’s work with the Peace Corps and his compassion and love for the people around him were reiterated many times.
Black’s wife recalled the joy she and her husband felt on the night of the incident before Black was murdered, as they were out for dinner for the first time since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. She called the outing a “hopeful end” to the challenge of the deadly disease and said that when Black was shot, she “lost [her] best friend” and “became a widow.”
While talking about how much Black loved and supported their children, she said in tears that she did not want her pain and grief to distract from the commitment both she and her husband had to serving their community.
Black was also eulogized by the National Peace Corps Association as an individual whose life work was, “[p]romoting understanding between people” in challenging parts of the world.
Black’s sons both emphasized how young they were when their father was killed, and how much they remember the love he had for them. His youngest son said, “To have known my dad is a gift,” and that he was lucky to have as much time as he did with his father.
Black’s oldest son directly addressed Wilson and said, “What you did that night was evil.” He called Wilson a coward for not disclosing the identities of the individuals that were with him during the shooting.
Likewise, Black’s sister criticized Wilson for protecting the other suspects. She discussed the difficulties of thinking about this case for four years as parties worked to find a resolution, claiming that the defense strategized to delay the proceedings for the case as much as possible.
Black’s mother briefly shared that her husband, Black’s father, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which intensified after the news of Black’s death. Both Black’s mother and his sister talked about the pain of repeatedly telling Black’s father that his son died because he consistently forgot and asked, “Why isn’t [Jeremy] calling me?”
Black’s father gave a statement about Black’s character and life up through his death, detailing his passion for his work with the Peace Corps and his love for his family. He asked Wilson, “What did he ever do to you?”
In their statements, most of Black’s family said that no sentence would undo his death and bring him back, but his sister advocated for the full 21-year sentence.
The prosecution said that Black’s death was “devastating,” and that due to the serious nature of the crime as well as evidence supporting Wilson’s active involvement in the incident, they requested a sentence of 21 years in prison.
Before Wilson’s defense attorney, Thomas Healy, made his sentencing request, Wilson’s father gave a brief statement. He emphasized that by entering a guilty plea, Wilson admitted to his wrongdoing, and asked Judge Kravitz to show leniency in his sentencing.
Wilson himself apologized to Black’s family and his own family and said, “I made a bad choice.”
Healy acknowledged that no sentence could bring peace to Black’s family or undo their loss, but he asked Judge Kravitz to consider that Wilson took full responsibility for his actions and also that Wilson had a history of cognitive impairment and learning disabilities.
Healy emphasized Wilson’s history as a firefighter, saying Wilson’s previous work “helped save this city,” and that Wilson currently did well as an inmate at the DC Jail. Healy requested a sentence of 15 years, expressing his belief that this sentence would both account for the seriousness of Wilson’s actions as well as his positive progress.
Judge Kravitz said he appreciated both parties’ presentations, as well as all of the statements. He called Black’s death a “terrible tragedy” and expressed sympathy for his family. He also acknowledge the importance of considering Wilson’s humanity in his sentence.
Judge Kravitz imposed a sentence of 18 years, followed by five years of supervised release for Wilson. Wilson will also be required to register as a gun offender, pay $100 to the Victims of Violent Crime Fund, and participate in mental health and employment services.
No further hearings were scheduled.
