Witness Has ‘No Doubt’ Murder Defendant is Guilty

By D.C. Witness Staff - April 11, 2019
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Suspects |

A witness told a jury that there was “no doubt in his mind” that the defendant is responsible for a shooting that occurred in 2004.

Carlton Fisher

Terik McLeod is charged with two counts of first-degree murder while armed for his alleged role in the deaths of 17-year-old Devaun Drayton and 23-year-old Carlton Fisher in 2004 and 2006, respectively.

Devaun Drayton

The witness, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed for a different murder, entered a cooperation agreement in 2016 and agreed to testify against McLeod. The witness said he had knowledge of the two shootings and said McLeod, 33, was responsible for both.

The witness also said he and McLeod lived in the same neighborhood and hung out with the same group of people. The witness described their relationship as “okay” and said there was “no beef.”

On the morning of Drayton’s murder, the witness said he was walking to school with McLeod, Drayton, and two other individuals. The witness said the group was smoking marijuana, so he started walking ahead a few feet in front of them because he didn’t want smoke blown at him.

The witness said he heard one gunshot behind him, so he ducked, turned and saw McLeod with a gun and Drayton on the ground.

Apparently, Drayton was supposed to sell a gun to McLeod, however, the transaction was never completed because Drayton said it “went missing.”

“He lied about losing it,” the witness said, referring to the gun. The witness said it was a big deal to take someone’s gun because a gun is a means of protection.

The witness also testified that after he was released from jail in 2010, he had a conversation with McLeod, who said he shot Fisher for snitching. Apparently, McLeod told the witness that he “put his brains all over the mailbox.”

The witness said he believed McLeod approached him about shooting Fisher because the witness previously killed a man for snitching.

During cross-examination, the defense tried to discredit the witness and said he was only forthcoming with information after entering a cooperation agreement. The defense said the witness was only helping the prosecution to receive a lighter sentence.

However, the witness said he had no reason to lie because he could be charged with perjury, lose his plea agreement or get more time. 

“I killed someone for doing this,” the witness said, referring to snitching. “That very same thing could happen to me.”