In brief:
Two homicides were reported this week in D.C.:
- Tajauna Lynn Hooks, 54, was found dead early Thursday morning in the 1300 block of Columbia Road Northwest.
- A shooting in the unit block of N street killed Yewondwosen Girma Hailemarian, 30, of Fairfax, Virginia Sunday morning.
On Monday, jurors found Bernard Fleming guilty of second-degree murder and acquitted Joseph Peoples of the same charge in the fatal shooting of Michael Jones. During the six-day trial, prosecutors argued that Michael and Maurice Jones were shot at by Fleming from a balcony on the 1700 block of the 7th street Northwest. Peoples’ defense attorneys argued that Peoples was innocent and there wasn’t any proof he fired a gun.
Attorneys gave their opening arguments in the Raymond Faunteroy case Tuesday. He is charged with first-degree murder while armed along with two weapons charges in connection with Derrick Ragland’s death. Prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed that Ragland helped rob Faunteroy days before he was killed. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Spence argued the robbery drove Faunteroy to disguise himself and wait in an alley for Ragland and his friends to leave the house. Defense argued that the government’s theories weren’t true and Faunteroy had no way of knowing when Ragland and his friends were leaving. Ragland was shot seven times, according to prosecutors.
Kieva Hooks was arrested and held on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with her mother Tajauna Lynn Hooks’ death. Charging documents say Hooks confessed to police that she killed her mother and had used two knives. She told police after she used the knives, she put them in the bathroom, and that, “I had to off her.”
