Arvel Wills pleaded guilty Thursday to involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2012 death of his 25-year-old cousin, Dewayne Wills.
“I admit 100-percent that I did it,” Arvel Wills said in tearfully entering his plea.
Court documents state that on May 26, 2012 Dewayne Wills was brought by a private vehicle to Washington Hospital Medical Center suffering from an open laceration to the head. Medical workers said he was intoxicated and claimed that he had fallen and hit his head on the sidewalk. But family members told police he had gotten in a fight with his cousin, Arvel Wills. A CAT scan revealed that Dewayne Wills suffered a four-inch skull fracture near his left ear, documents state.
After three days of medical treatment and constant swelling to his brain, Dewayne Wills went into a coma. He succumbed to his injuries on June 4; doctors ruled it a homicide by blunt force impact. More than three months later Arvel Wills, 24, was arrested and held on suspicion of second-degree murder in his cousin’s death.
Prosecutors said Thursday that Dewayne Wills was killed after a verbal altercation turned physical.
According to plea documents, witnesses told police that around 4 a.m. the day of the altercation the two cousins were both intoxicated and arguing near the intersection of L St. and Abbey Place Northeast. The argument turned physical and witnesses saw Dewayne Wills throw two punches at Arvel Wills.
Dewayne Wills was then heard calling Arvel Wills a “Bitch a— motherf–,” witnesses said. Arvel Wills then picked Dewayne Wills up by his head and legs and forcibly slammed him into the concrete street. He got on his bike and rode away, leaving his cousin lying on the ground unconscious and bleeding from the head, plea documents state.
When interviewed by police Arvel Wills told detectives that he had been in a fight with his cousin, but blacked out when he attempted to lift him up over his head, court documents state.
Prosecutors in the case have recommended a sentence of four to six years in prison.
Arvel Wills is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ronna Beck on December 18.
Plea documents have been added to this post.
