A witness in the murder case against David and Montez Warren is dead, killed sometime after the two brothers were arrested in the shooting death of Ervin Lamont Griffin.
Prosecutor Michael Ortwein told said Friday that it’s not clear whether the witness’s death is linked to the Warrens’ case. He said an investigation is ongoing.
Ortwein referred Homicide Watch to the US Attorney’s spokesman, Bill Miller, who said in an email: “It’s unlikely we would provide these details because the case is still under investigation.”
The witness, called W4 in court documents, has not been identified.
The Warren brothers were in Judge Lynn Liebowitz’s courtroom for a preliminary hearing in Griffin’s death. The hearing was left unfinished Friday and will be continued Jan. 6 at 2 p.m.
Witnesses in the case describe David Warren sitting in Griffin’s car the night of May 13, arguing with him, then getting out and pulling Griffin from the car. David and Montez Warren then walked Griffin into the alley, according to charging documents.
Those witnesses each said they heard an argument, then two gunshots, then described David and Montez Warren and others leaving the alley.
In testimony Friday, MPD Homicide Detective Ray Shields said several witnesses initially denied seeing or hearing anything that night. One described in court as Witness 5—who is not listed in charging documents—initially said it heard gunshots and saw people running out of the alley, but said it didn’t know who those people were.
After David and Montez Warren were arrested, the same witness said it saw David Warren walk Griffin into the alley. It later heard David Warren say, “Give it up, gimme the money!” Shields said.
The witness, Shields told the court, was “scared for its life.”
This post has been updated to include a response from Bill Miller, the US Attorney’s spokesman.
