Murder defendant Carl Purvis in a Facebook photo added Nov. 14
Carl Edward Purvis, 46, was charged Nov. 23 with the deadly Nov. 15 shooting. A second man named in the complaint and for whom Metro Police detectives sought an arrest warrant, has not been charged and is not currently in custody, according to D.C. Superior Court and VINElink detention records. A Metro Police Spokeswoman has not returned a request for comment on that man’s status.
The complaint against Purvis relies on the accounts of four witnesses, three of whom described Purvis and another man in a walkway near 243 K Street SW. One witness told police both men shot Gregory Joyner, then continued to fire at him after he fell to the ground. In the complaint, the witness said it
observed [Purvis] partially rise from his wheel chair and fire several shots into [Joyner] as he lay on the ground. [Witness 2] also saw [the second suspect] fire at [Joyner] while [Joyner] was still standing and also saw [him] fire at [Joyner] after [Joyner] had fallen.
Gregory Joyner was found by Metro Police responding to the 200 block of K Street SW for a report of gunshots. He had been shot multiple times with wounds to his head and body, according to the complaint. He was transported to a local hospital and declared dead.
According to the same witness, in a conversation the day before the shooting Joyner said he had robbed Purvis’ brother the evening of Nov. 13. Another witness said Joyner asked the men if they had any weed. When Purvis answered “yeah,” Joyner walked towards them. According to the complaint:
As [Joyner] got within close proximity of the two subjects, the subject in the wheelchair leaned over as if he was retrieving something. The subject in the wheelchair then produced a handgun and shot [Joyner].”
Purvis is expected in court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 13 at 9:30 a.m. According to records, the second suspect has not been charged.
According to the complaint, at least one witness identified Purvis and the second suspect using photos from their Facebook profiles.
