A homicide victim’s friend and neighbor testified about her knowledge of the incident in a trial before DC Superior Court Judge Michael Ryan on Nov. 24.
Seth Andrews, 38, is charged with first-degree murder, two counts of assault on a police officer, and destruction of property, for his alleged involvement in the death of his mother, 67-year-old Hazel Evans, on the unit block of 35th Street, SE on July 16, 2020.
Prosecutors called on Evans’ friend and neighbor, who testified to knowing Evans and Andrews for a year at the time of the incident.
According to the witness, Evans and Andrews had a loving relationship, stating “it was nice… she spoke highly of her son.”
The witness testified that on the evening of July 15, 2020, she and Evans sat outside as Evans waited for her daughter to drop something off to her. “She looked fine, like nothing was wrong with her,” the witness recalled.
She stated Evans went back to her apartment after retrieving a bag from her daughter’s car, and she never saw her again.
According to the witness, she went into her own apartment some time after Evans left, and watched TV for a few hours before she “heard a lot of commotion upstairs.”
The witness testified that Evans lived right above her, with their bedrooms in the same location as well as the layout of their rooms.
“I heard her fussing with her son,” the witness testified, adding she muted her TV and heard Evans constantly say “Seth, get off me,” for more than five minutes. A while later, she “heard a thump – a boom.”
The witness was unclear about the timing of events in the evening and early morning hours, stating she knew it was still dark outside, but was unsure of the time.
“They was having a dispute,” the witness continued, however, she stated, she didn’t call 911 because “I thought it was not that serious.”
“It’s not my place to call the police, I don’t know what’s going on in that room,” the witness asserted when questioned why she didn’t call the police. “I would’ve called if I was in the apartment.”
According to the witness, their neighbor from across the street, who had a good relationship with her and Evans, called her around 5 a. m., when he noticed first responders were at the scene due to the sirens and flashing lights.
The witness stated when detectives eventually arrived asking to speak to people in the building she refused to talk to them. “I didn’t wanna be involved,” she said, adding that she later changed her mind – 15 months after the incident.
“You know what you did was wrong,” she cried out to Andrews as she testified. Kevin Irving, Andrews’ attorney, objected to the outburst, and Judge Ryan struck it from the record.
The witness went on to state that Andrews kicked in her door and told her, “Hot b****, I didn’t kill my mom.”
According to the witness, being a “hot b****” in the community is regarded as being a snitch.
Irving questioned why she didn’t speak to detectives on the day of the incident, stating, “You knew why they were there. They knocked on everyone’s door.”
He questioned if she decided to testify at trial to receive a witness voucher, which pays any witness $40 for their participation in trials, and an undisclosed amount when they testify in the Grand Jury.
According to Irving, the witness received a voucher at the Grand Jury proceeding, and asked prosecutors for another one when she met with them prior to trial at their office.
When asked if she had requested one for her trial testimony, she stated she hadn’t. “You’re going to, correct?” asked Irving. The prosecution’s objection was sustained.
“Are you testifying for a 40 dollar voucher?” the prosecutors asked the witness. “No,” she stated, adding “it was never about the money.”
Prosecutors also called on a forensic pathologist who testified she conducted Evans’ autopsy on July 17, 2020 and issued a report for it in August of that year.
According to the witness, she no longer works at the DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), and was brought in as an expert in forensic pathology.
The witness stated Evans’ autopsy showed the cause of death was asphyxia secondary to neck compression, or strangulation, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide by another person.
The pathologist stated that Evans’ examination showed signs of strangulation, which could be specifically noted through the hemorrhaging on her neck’s muscles and the breaking of her thyroid cartilage.
She also stated that the asphyxia was noticeable based on vessels bursting in her eyes.
Irving questioned if her testimony would have changed had she not been charging $600 an hour to appear in court, and $500 an hour to prepare for trial.
When asked why there was no bruising on Evans’ neck, but an abrasion on her chin, the witness stated “she was trying to avert the attack by putting her chin down.”
Parties are slated to reconvene Nov. 25.
