DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt sentenced a domestic violence homicide defendant to 26 years in prison for descending to a “whole new depth of evil” on June 5.
Desmond Thurston, 48, pleaded guilty on Feb. 4 to second-degree murder while armed for his involvement in the fatal shooting of Patricia Johnson, 52, on Oct. 1, 2023. The incident occurred at the 4000 block of 13th Street, SE.
As part of the plea deal, parties agreed to a prison sentence of 24-to-26 years, subject to Judge Brandt’s approval.
At the sentencing, several of Johnson’s family members spoke.
Johnson’s aunt said that she “understood Patricia’s silence” because she was also a victim of domestic violence. She characterized Johnson as a “beautiful woman” and “not a pronoun.”
The aunt told Judge Brandt that Johnson’s mother only had one daughter and Johnson was “the air [her mother] would breathe.” The aunt described that Johnson’s mother mourned until she “couldn’t take it anymore.”
Ultimately, Johnson’s aunt said there would be no closure for her family and asked for Thurston to serve the maximum sentence.
Johnson’s first cousin said the family’s “lives [are] permanently changed by Patricia’s murder.” He characterized Johnson as a “proud Washingtonian,” a hard-worker, widely “respected,” and someone who “touched many lives through both her work and kindness.”
The cousin also said that there was an official police escort for Johnson’s funeral and over 100 people in attendance, emphasizing that “Patricia mattered.”
Another cousin of Johnson read a poem she wrote in the wake of Johnson’s death. Her poem, entitled “41 butterflies,” was inspired by butterfly decorations Johnson had on the staircase in her home. Her cousin detailed the grief that Johnson’s family suffered and remembered the butterflies as “41 tiny reminders of the beauty of transformation and hope.”
“Love survives,” proclaimed Johnson’s cousin,“souls are not measured by how they leave the world, but how they touch it.” She reminded Judge Brandt that Thurston walked around the scene after he shot Johnson and disposed of a handgun. She also asked for the maxmimum sentence.
Johnson’s other cousin addressed Thurston directly, telling him “When you come to hell, I’ll be waiting on you.”
The prosecutors argued that it was “strongly and clearly” a first-degree murder while armed, but the charge was reduced to second-degree murder. Johnson “did everything our system asked her to do,” concluded prosecutors.
According to prosecutors, Johnson “stood up for herself,” reached out to law enforcement for help, called police, and filed three protective orders before her murder. Prosecutors characterized the “horrible” nature of a situation in which a domestic abuser carries out their threats.
The prosecution said, prior to her murder, Johnson attempted to put her hands up to defend herself, but “her hand was not strong enough to block a bullet.”
They also noted that Johnson’s young family member was present at the scene. The prosecution said Thurston shot Johnson in front of the family member and left the scene while Johnson was “in a hallway full of blood dying.”
As a result and Thurston’s previous felony conviction for a violent drug-dealing conspiracy, the prosecutors asked for 26 years of imprisonment.
Brian McDaniel, Thurston’s attorney, clarified that Thurston “made himself available” to law enforcement by turning himself in and acknowledging his role.
McDaniel alleged there was toxicity on both sides of their relationship and asked the court to give Thurston credit for accepting responsibility. He argued that Thurston has shown remorse.
McDaniel reminded the court that, considering Thurston’s prior felony conviction, the minimum sentence for second-degree murder would be 13 years. Thurston’s sentence based on the plea deal would be “much higher” than the bottom of the guidelines, said McDaniel and asked for 24 years.
“Not a day that goes by that I don’t regret the hurt and the shame that I caused my family, Patricia[‘s] family,” Thurston said. Thurston expressed that he wished the incident “never would have happened.”
Judge Brandt addressed Johnson’s family as a “very strong, tight-knight family.” She reminded them that Johnson is still present with them, but in a “different form” and agreed with Johnson’s aunt that the sentence would not provide them closure.
Judge Brandt said that domestic violence is “about control” and Thurston’s actions presented a “whole new depth of evil” to shoot Johnson in front of a young child.
The judge sentenced Thurston to 26 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Thurston will also be required to register as a gun offender upon his release.
No further dates were set.
