Homicide Watch D.C.

In brief:

Hurricane Sandy closed the court for two days Monday and Tuesday as its powerful winds caused scattered power outages and fallen trees and shut down the region’s entire public transportation system.

A Metropolitan Police Department officer shot and killed a man after he allegedly stabbed the officer Friday morning. The officer received treatment for his injuries, according to news reports.

Dominique Bassil took the stand in her murder trial Thursday to argue that she stabbed boyfriend Vance Harris II in self-defense. Harris had violent tendencies, the defense argued.

Malik Shabazz, formerly known as Maurice Lee Yancey, pled guilty to beating Demetrius Dempsey in 2007 with a landscaping brick. Dempsey received care in a skilled nursing home for years after the attack, but died from his injuries in late 2010. Shabazz was indicted and charged with first-degree murder while armed, but pled guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.

Officers were investigating a homicide at 4th and V Street Northeast Wednesday evening. Anthony Weathers, 25, was shot in an alley and died near the 2000 block of 4th Street Northeast. MPD has not named a suspect in the case.

Four men were sentenced to prison terms after being convicted in July of multiple gang-related shootings that killed two in 2010.

Robert Carter pled guilty Wednesday to killing Angel Morse, his 13-year-old daughter, in 2010. Prosecutors were preparing for a Nov. 5 trial in the case. Carter had previously been pursuing an insanity defense.

In brief,

A jury found Terrell Wilson, Phillip Swan and Theodore Spencer guilty of murder, conspiracy, burglary and kidnapping in the June 2011 killing of Glenn Scarborough. Sentencing is scheduled for December 19.

Kevon Austin, 18, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with the October murder of Gregory Troxler. Austin was ordered held.

Robert Maurice Lesueur was shot dead Monday morning in Southeast D.C. Police have arrested Ariston Jamal Dickson with second-degree murder in connection with the case.

The trial against Dominique Bassil began Tuesday. Bassil is suspected of killing her boyfriend, Vance Harris II, in August 2011. Bassil told police in a videotaped statement that she acted in self-defense. Prosecutors believe Bassil acted out of jealousy, stemming from a wedding the two attended the evening before.

Metropolitan police believe the deaths of Mesfin Nega and Shimelis Yegazu are the result of a murder-suicide.

Anthony Antonio Watts was found shot and killed near the Anacostia Freeway Thursday. Police are looking for a black Toyota Camry with tinted windows and Pennsylvania plates in connection with the case.

Charges against Ray Dicks have been dropped. Dicks was suspected in the October 2011 murder of Eric Kearney.

In brief:

Shootings left three men dead this week in DC: Antwan Boseman, 24, was killed early last Saturday on the 800 block of Barnaby Street Southeast; Terrence Robinson, 48, was killed in a separate shooting that same day in the 2600 block of Douglas Road Southeast; Simon Anderson, 40, was killed last Sunday in the 3500 block of Georgia Avenue Northwest.

Police arrested William J. Douglas on suspicion of first-degree murder while armed in connection with the 2007 shooting death of Kirk Hart.

Joseph McCrae was sentenced today to 18 years in prison for the 2010 shooting death of Jonathan Estep.

Lamont Hill was arrested in South Carolina; he is wanted in DC in connection with the June death of Brian Bloomfield.

In brief:

Twenty two-year-old Jerry Williams was fatally shot in Northeast DC Monday night.

Antwan Boseman, 24, of Southeast DC was killed in a double shooting early Saturday.

Police asked for the public’s help in apprehending 20-year-old Lamont Hill, who is wanted for murder in the death of Brian Dewayne Bloomfield. Bloomfield was found shot and stabbed in a parking lot in the 3400 block of 13th Place Southeast the evening of June 11.

They also asked for public’s help in identifying a man who is a person of interest in the death of Darryl Eugene Sweet, Sr. Sweet, 61, was found unconscious and unresponsive on July 26 suffering from “an internal head wound,” according to police reports.

Lester Wright was sentenced to 12 years in prison Friday for the shooting death of Howard Williams.

Michael Poth pleaded innocent to one count of second-degree murder while armed Friday for the killing of fellow Marine Phillip Bushong in April.

Gerald Anderson, 22, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the 2007 murder of David Mayo.

A jury convicted Chamontae Walker of first-degree murder for the death of Darrel Hendy today and found his co-defendant, Corey Yates, guilty of second degree murder.

A 61-year-old Southeast DC man found unconscious Thursday night died of his injuries. MPD has ruled his death a homicide on Saturday and identified him as Darryl Eugene Sweet, Sr.

Jimi Imur Pendleton, 33, was found shot to death in an alley on Friday morning near the 2300 Block of Park Place Southeast.

The case against Jashua Johnson will be sent to the grand jury for investigation, after Judge Ronna Beck found substantial probability today that Johnson killed Davon Brown.

Keith Littlepage was found guilty of both first-degree murder and felony murder in the stabbing death of his girlfriend, Selina Knight, at their SoutheastDC apartment in March 2011. The jury of three men and nine women announced the verdict just before noon Tuesday. Their deliberations lasted approximately two days.

Chamontae Walker and Corey Yates never fired a gun at Darrel Hendy. But the pair are on trial for his death this week, charged with first-degree murder. Hendy, 29, was killed Sept. 25, 2010 in the 800 block of Southern Avenue, Southeast DC. In opening statements, prosecutors said Hendy was shot from behind— seven times— and that he likely never saw his attacker coming.

Joseph Peoples was ordered held after Judge Ronna Beck found substantial probability that he took part in the fatal shooting of 30-year-old Michael Edward Jones this month.

A grand jury indicted ex-Marine Michael Poth, charging him with one count of second-degree murder while armed. Poth, 20, is suspected of killing fellow Marine Phillip Bushong outside the Marine Corps Barracks in Southeast DC in April.

Albrecht Muth’s mental health remains in question, and it remains unclear whether or when he will stand trial in the death of his wife, 91-year-old Viola Drath. As the one-year anniversary of his wife’s death approaches, Muth remains mentally incompetent to stand trial and is, for the time being, destined to remain in psychiatric custody at St Elisabeths.

Jeremy Risper was sentenced to 35 years in prison Friday for the shooting death of Jamal Wilson. Risper, 22, was found guilty of first degree murder while armed, plus two weapons charges, in a March trial. Jurors found that in Nov. 2010 Risper and his co-defendant, Kwan Kearney, chased 19-year-old Wilson through the Truxton Circle neighborhood then engaged in a shootout that left Wilson dead.

A judge found substantial probability in the case against Anthony Campbell, saying that although there were “certain oddities” about the case there was enough evidence to send the first-degree murder charge to the grand jury. Campbell, 34, is suspected of shooting Antwain Henderson in the head following an argument, then taking his body to Prince George’s County and burning it in a car.

The death of Aaron Henderson has been ruled a homicide. Henderson, 36, was found unconscious and unresponsive in Northeast DC in April in a Trinidad-area alley.

Orlando Carter, one of the five men convicted of taking part in the deadly South Capitol Street shootings was sentenced to five and half years in prison for a robbery he committed while in custody at DC Jail. The sentence is likely to be served concurrently to any sentence he receives in the South Capitol murder case.

In brief:

A stabbing Thursday evening in Southwest DC killed Hayes Osei Dennis, a 60-year-old Fort Washington man. No arrests have been announced in the case.

Charging documents in the case against Anthony Campbell made the case that Campbell, suspected of first-degree murder, was shot by the victim in 2003 and may have provided information to police about that shooting. Prosecutors say that in Aug. 2011, Campbell shot Antwain Henderson, then towed Henderson’s body in his car to PG County and burned it.

Judge Robert Morin found substantial probability in the case against Eric Payne, accused in the murder of Charles Hicks.

Jurors began deliberations in the case against Keith Littlepage, accused of fatally stabbing his fiance, Selina Knight, in the Southeast DC apartment they shared but she was trying to leave. Littlepage sat quietly at the defense table during closing arguments Thursday, showing no emotion even as prosecutors projected a photo above him of his Knight’s lifeless body. The had been shown again and again over the week-long trial, as had photographs of graffiti scrawled across a wall in Knight’s apartment. “HIV,” “bitch,” and “AIDS,” the grafiti read. Prosecutor Robert Feitel said those words were Littlepage’s calling card, echoing threats Littlepage had made to Knight in the weeks before her murder, as well as Littlepage’s own words to a crisis counselor at Sibley Hospital after Knight’s death. Littlepage, 50, is charged with first-degree murder while armed, kidnapping, and burglary, among other charges associated with the case. He pled innocent. The jury is expected to begin their first full day of deliberations Monday morning.

Anthony Speight pled innocent to eight charges included first-degree murder while armed in the shooting death of Bill Mitchell. Mitchell was killed in Jan. 2011 in Truxton Circle.

A DC man wanted in connection with the shooting death of his girlfriend, Yolanda Stone, was not present at his scheduled arraignment this week and remains at large. Reynard Cook is charged with first-degree murder while armed, first-degree cruelty to children, second-degree cruelty to children, weapons offenses, and contempt of court for violating a civil protection order.

Donzell Butler was ordered at his preliminary hearing after Judge William Jackson found probable cause that he committed second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Charles Scott.

Johnnie Sweets and Brian Gaither will be tried separately for the murder of DC teen Latisha Frazier, after Judge William Jackson agreed to sever their cases. They are charged with first-degree murder in connection with Frazier’s death. They are also charged with felony murder and “aggravating circumstances.” Those circumstances are that Frazier’s death was “especially heinous, atrocious, and cruel” and that it was also “committed during the course of a kidnapping.”

Johnathan Dawkins was ordered held pending a preliminary hearing after Judge Karen Howze ruled that there was substantial probability that he was responsible for the stabbing death of Dwayne Brisbon.

In brief:

Three separate incidents left three men dead and three others injured across three quadrants of DC last Saturday night, making it the deadliest week in the District this year. The victims were identified as Charles Anthony Scott Jr, Michael Edward Jones and Davon Brown. Donzell Butler was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with Scott’s death. On Wednesday, Joseph Peoples was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with Jones’ death and Jashua Johnson was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with Brown’s death.

Calvin Shaw was arrested in connection with a Fourth of July shooting that killed 19-year-old Crevantai Key and injured three others. Charging documents in the case allege that the shooting was gang related.

The Asian American Bar Association of DC has launched a fundraising effort to benefit the family of June Lim, killed outside her H Street deli last month.

Jurors charged with determining whether Keith Littlepage killed his girlfriend, Selina Knight, heard the first evidence in the case Thursday. Jurors were sworn in Wednesday by Judge Thomas Motley. Littlepage, 50, is suspected of fatally stabbing Knight at the Southeast DC home that they shared but she was trying to leave. He is charged with first degree murder while armed, kidnapping, and burglary, among other charges associated with the case, and has pled innocent.

Judge William Jackson found substantial probability that Jamar George committed first-degree murder while armed in the May 26 shooting death of Ronnie Speight. George was ordered held on the charge while the grand jury investigates.

Tarkeyshia Brown pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of Jawan Parker. Prosecutors said Brown was upset because she thought Parker owed her $10 for a “dipper” of PCP.

Jonathan Fullard pleaded innocent to a charge of felony murder; he is suspected of killing his girlfriend’s 20-month-old son. He was indicted on the charge before a preliminary hearing could be held. A preliminary hearing on a separate charge of child cruelty is still pending.

Zachary Sims, 19, was sentenced to 30 months in prison on charges that he did have a weapon the night a DC teen was killed, even though he didn’t fire a shot. He was acquitted of murder and assault charges related to the same case in May, after a DC jury found that there was not sufficient evidence to believe that Sims killed 16-year-old Jamal Bell following a graduation party in June 2010.

A second mental health evaluation of Michael Davis, the 19-year-old brother of NFL stars Vernon and Vontae Davis, found that he remains mentally unfit to participate in the murder proceedings against him. He’s suspected in a series of hammer attacks in Petworth, including one that killed Gary Dederichs.

Marcus Mclean was sentenced Friday to 24 years in prison for the stabbing death of Delando King. Mclean pled guilty in April to one count second-degree murder while armed.

Judge William Jackson found substantial probability in the case against Grant Johnson, suspected in the fatal shooting of Ricardo Mandrell Lancaster.

Anthony Campbell, a Northeast DC man, was arrested Friday on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with the Aug. 2011 shooting death of Antwain Henderson. Campbell is the second man arrested in connection with Henderson’s death; Sean Donnelle Hawkins was arrested in June on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with the case.

In brief:

Crevontai Key was fatally shot on the Fourth of July in Northwest DC. He was 19.

Julius Barnett Ellington was killed in a shooting on Morton Street Northwest early Thursday morning. He was 35.

Alexander Gomez-Enamorado postponed his preliminary hearing Friday in order to have more time to consider a plea offer from prosecutors. He is suspected of first-degree murder in the stabbing death of Miguel Angel Ventura in Nov. 2010.

The Washington Examiner reports that Prince George’s County, which borders the District, has seen half the number of homicides in the first six months of 2012 as were reported in the first half of 2011.

The New York Times on Friday outlined Albrecht Muth‘s varied eccentricities and how Washington entertained, or believed, them nearly until Muth was arrested on suspicion of killing his wife at their Georgetown home.

Governing magazine this months profiles MPD Chief Cathy Lanier, including her history in MPD and theories in policing. Of particular interest are her comments on the District’s homicide closures.

Week in Review was delayed this weekend due to internet outages from the storm.

In Brief:

Skeletal remains found in Sept. 2011 in Southeast DC were determined to be those of 39-year-old Lawrence Neal Jr. Police say he was the victim of a homicide.

James Eric Cain, 53, was fatally stabbed in Northeast DC Monday. Antoine Little was arrested Thursday on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with Cain’s death.

Antonio Jones was sent to Saint Elizabeths for further mental examination, after the Department of Mental Health found him incompetent to continue with his court proceedings at this time. He’s suspected in the shooting death of Davon Paul Gray.

Eric Jerome Payne, 30, of Capitol Heights, Md, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with the June 2011 stabbing death of Southeast DC man Charles Hicks. He is the second person arrested in the case.

Grant Johnson, a 37-year-old Bladensburg, Md. man, was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with the May shooting death of Ricardo Mandrell Lancaster.

Reynard Cook, also known as Reynaud Cook, was indicted by a grand jury on a charge that he fatally shot his girlfriend, Yolanda Stone, in February. Cook is not in custody and is wanted by authorities.

Jonathan Fullard, 28, was indicted on charges of felony murder,first-degree cruelty to children and obstruction of justice, related to the killing of his girlfriend’s 20-month-old son, Keyontae Moore.

DC has recorded a 19 percent drop in homicides in the first half of 2012, compared to the first half of 2011, according to data collected and analyzed by Homicide Watch DC. The homicide data also shows a significant decrease in gun violence and domestic violence, compared to last year. Meanwhile, a greater proportion of homicides have resulted from fatal stabbings.

The data also shows a decrease in the number of domestic violence homicides. While three of the 45 DC homicides that occurred in the first six months of 2012 have been classified as domestic violence related homicides, representing less than six percent of all homicides to date, twelve percent of all homicides last year were determined to be due to domestic violence.

To see court hearings scheduled this week, please see our Week Ahead.

We’re hoping the internet will come back on soon. In the meantime, please bear with us in any details in reporting or in moderating comments. With thanks from the Homicide Watch team.

In brief:

Twenty-four-year-old J’Ron Brown was the victim of the fatal shooting in Southeast DC early Wednesday morning. Derrick Babb was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with the case after a nearly eight hour long standoff with police. Babb has said he did fire a gun at J’Ron Lamar Brown, once, at the urging of a neighbor.

Antoine Bates, 23, was fatally shot in Northwest DC early Saturday morning. No arrests have been announced.

Herbert Hayes was ordered held on a charge of second-degree murder while armed at his preliminary hearing after Judge Ann O’Regan Keary found substantial probability that Hayes fatally stabbed John Wesley Griffin.

Christian Taylor was found guilty of fatally shooting two Northeast DC men, a father and son, in a June 2010 robbery attempt on their store.

Albrecht Muth still lacks the mental competency required to stand trial, a new report from his doctors at Saint Elizabeths found. Muth is suspected of killing his wife, Viola Drath.

Felicia Jones pled innocent to second-degree murder while armed in the stabbing death of Jodie Ward.

Antonio Jones pled innocent a charge of first-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death of Davon Gray. Jones’ attorney said he may use an insanity defense.

Dietrich Baker waived his right to a preliminary hearing on a charge that he fatally shot James Ray Sherrod near a Kenilworth Avenue bus stop in April, signaling that perhaps a plea deal is imminent in the second-degree murder case.

James Brewer, Stephen Page, and Anthony Thomas, charged with killing 71-year-old Solomon Reese, have now also been formally charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the shooting death of one of the witnesses in the case. They pled innocent to the charge.

Brandon Terry was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the shooting death of Jhonte Coleman, 34, killed November during a large fight in Dupont Circle. Terry, 30, is believed to have been a victim in the same fight, his attorney, Joseph Bernard, said.

Washington’s Other Monuments has photos of two new street memorials. One outside Grace Deli in Northeast DC where June Lim was killed June 14, and one near where Henry Miller was killed on June 3.