Joshua Mebane, one of two teens suspected in the shooting death of a D.C. taxi driver, was arraigned Friday on two counts of murder in connection with the shooting death of 44-year-old Quadar Muhammad. Mebane pleaded innocent to all charges and remains held pending a status hearing October 31.
On November 7, 2012, at around 9:00 p.m. police found Muhammad dead inside a burning Lincoln taxi cab on the 1400 block of Brentwood Parkway Northeast. The following day an autopsy showed that Muhammad suffered from a single gunshot wound to the head; the death was ruled a homicide.
Mebane, 17, was arrested two days after the murder, and was initially held on suspicion of felony murder while armed in connection with Muhammad’s death. But last month prosecutors filed new charges, which include first-degree felony murder while armed, premeditated murder and eight counts of robbery and weapons related offenses.
Charging documents state that a teen internet romance between Mebane, and alleged accomplice, Linda Bury, led to the deadly robbery that killed Muhammad.
During an interrogation, Bury, 17, told police she met Mebane online in Oct. 2012., and met him in person just a week before Muhammad’s death, court documents state.
The day of the murder the two teens rented a room at a Motel 6 in D.C., and were running low on money.
According to court documents, they walked to a Greyhound Bus station and hailed a cab that Muhammad was driving. Mebane gave Muhammad the address to a junior high school near the Motel 6. As the car approached the rear of the school, Mebane shot Muhammad in the back of the skull with a black handgun. Bury told police that the taxi sped, then crashed into a tree. They both fled back to their hotel room, documents state.
Bury pleaded guilty in May, although court documents do not make it clear as to what charge.
In January, Mebane was indicted in Maryland for the murder of Teresa Bass, and the attempted murder of her husband. Bass was shot while walking her dog on Oct. 26, 2012, two weeks before Muhammad’s death.
Mebane is scheduled for a status hearing October 31 with Judge Herbert Dixon.
A copy of the indictment will be added to this post
