In brief:
Three homicides were recorded this week:
- Twenty-two year old Julisa Brittney Washington was fatally stabbed in Southeast DC mid-morning Monday. Her boyfriend, 23-year-old Stefon Kirkpatrick, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with the case.
- Thirty-six-year-old Mikey Ledbetter was fatally shot Friday morning. Melvin Quick, 27, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with the case.
- The death of a Maryland man which occurred more than two years ago was been ruled a homicide and a suspect was arrested. Marc Emilio Dancy, 37, was found Jan. 23, 2011, unconscious in the 3000 block of 7th Street Northeast. He had suffered blunt force trauma to his head and chest. Dancy’s manner of death was initially ruled as undetermined, but further investigation revealed that he suffered injuries during an altercation with another person. On Wednesday, Dancy’s manner of death was determined to be a homicide, and police arrested 39-year-old Melvin Lamond Linkins on a charge of second-degree murder.
Jermaine Brown, 34, was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Randolph Scott Harris Jr. Harris was found last week inside an apartment in the 1000 block of Euclid Street Northwest suffering from burns and gunshot wounds.
The only suspect in the Latisha Frazier murder case to stand trial was sentenced this week for his role in the attack. Johnnie Sweet was sentenced to 52 years in prison. Later in the week, Antoine McCullough was sentenced to two years probation in connection with a charge of tampering with evidence. Frazier, 18, was kidnapped and killed in August 2010.
A mistrial was declared in the case against James Sandidge, after the jury notified the court for the second time that they were deadlocked. Sandidge is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Keenan Jerel Lee in October 2011. During deliberations, jurors expressed concerns about their contact with other observers in the case believed to be family members of either Sandidge or Lee. On Wednesday, the jury foreperson told the court that the jury had again reached an impasse, though eleven jurors were prepared to find Sandidge guilty of manslaughter.
Mark Anthony Coates, one of two suspects arrested in connection with the 2011 strangulation death of 56-year-old Leroy Studevant, pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder while armed.
Shawn Lewis pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Wednesday in connection with the death of 38-year-old Douglas Farley.
Deon Jefferson pleaded guilty Thursday to voluntary manslaughter and armed robbery in connection with the 2012 stabbing death of 18-year-old Olijawon Griffin.
Rashid Caviness-Bey was sentenced to 27 years in prison in connection with the shooting death of 19-year-old Osman Al-Akbar.
Mental health experts have found Leon Allen Smith competent to stand trial for the stabbing death of Stephan Manuel Pool, despite Smith’s insistence that he suffers hallucinations, nightmares and paranoia.
