Homicide Watch D.C.

In brief:

Two homicides were reported this week in D.C.:

• Dondre Keenen Dyer, 23, died in a shooting near the 3600 block of Warder Street Northwest, close to Park View Elementary School.
• Former Press Secretary James Brady, 73, who was wounded in the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan in 1981, died Monday. A medical examiner ruled his death a homicide, caused by the wound sustained in that shooting 33 years ago.

A judge found probable cause Monday that Malik Bilal stabbed Alonzo Beasley to death on July 6 after Beasley got too close to Bilal’s truck.

Floyd Neal and Lafeyette Robinson pleaded guilty to armed robbery Tuesday, in a case stemming from the shooting death of Akinwole Olu Williams. Both had been charged first-degree murder and were scheduled for trial next week. Those murder charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

At a preliminary hearing Wednesday, a prosecutor argued that Allen Thomas “willingly” returned to a confrontation that left Elike Rahmon Richardson dead, contesting his attorney’s claim that the stabbing was an act of self-defense.

Johnathan Dawkins was sentenced to nine years in prison and five years supervised release Friday for the stabbing death of Dwayne Brisbon. A jury found him guilty of voluntary manslaughter while armed in May.

A judge found substantial probability Friday that Zerrick Brown and Earl Patrick committed a robbery that led to the death of 60-year-old Carlton Coltrane. The men are each suspected of first-degree felony murder.

Jurors began deliberating the case of Raymond Faunteroy, charged with charged with first-degree murder while armed in the shooting death of Derrick Ragland. Prosecutors argued that the testimony of multiple eyewitnesses proves that Faunteroy killed Ragland, but defense attorneys say those accounts lack credibility.

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.”

In brief:

Two homicides were reported this week in D.C.:

• Delonta Lavale Martin, 22, was killed late Sunday evening in a shooting in the 4700 block of Minnesota Avenue Northeast. Police are looking for a black male with medium complexion, weighing 180-190 pounds, in connection with Martin’s death.
• A shooting in the 200 block of Savannah Street Southeast killed 25-year-old Anthony Williams early Saturday morning.

Police arrested Michael Gayle in Charlotte, North Carolina, in connection with the stabbing death of 31-year-old Eboni Domally. On July 2, MPD announced Gayle was considered a suspect in Domally’s death and asked for the public’s help to find him.

MPD has released a footage of a person of interest in the investigation of shooting death of Gold Corner Market owner James Oh. Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying a man seen by the store’s surveillance camera approximately two hours before the shooting.

Jurors began deliberating the case against Bernard Fleming and Joseph Peoples for the shooting death of Michael Jones. Before deliberations began, prosecutors dropped first-degree murder charges against the men.

Prosecutors agreed to dismiss charges against DeAndre Shaheed in exchange for his guilty plea to second-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death of Akinwole Olu Williams. Under the agreement, Shaheed is expected to be sentenced to 12 to 24 years in prison for the second-degree murder charge.

Shaheed’s former codefendants Floyd Neal and Lafeyette Robinson rejected plea offers Friday in connection with the shooting death of Akinwole Olu Williams. Prosecutors would have dropped Neal’s eleven charges and Robinson’s eight charges in exchange for Robinson’s guilty plea to conspiracy to commit armed robbery and Neal’s guilty plea to conspiracy to commit armed robbery and possession of a rifle.

Lillian Alvarado was again found competent to stand trial in connection with the death of her infant son. She will remain held at St. Elizabeths hospital until her next hearing on September 26.

The case against Robert Crowder was dismissed Friday when Judge Rhonda Winston granted prosecutors’ request to dismiss his charge. He had been held for more than nine months on suspicion of first-degree felony murder in connection with the stabbing death of 19-year-old Kelvin Jamal Willis.

Judge John Ramsey Johnson found probable cause Friday in the case against Lawrence Wilkerson in connection with the shooting death of Rhett Gelb. Police arrested Wilkerson after a witness who has since pleaded guilty in connection with Gelb’s death identified Wilkerson as the shooter.

In brief:

• Delonte Hemphill died in a shooting in the 3500 block of 6th Street Southeast on Monday, July 14.
• Also Monday, Derek Price died from wounds sustained in a shooting last Sunday. He is the second man to die in that shooting, which also killed Donchell Thomas. Jimmie Fleming has been arrested in the case.

Lawrence Wilkerson was arrested and ordered held in the May 2013 shooting death of 22-year-old Rhett Gelb.

The trial of Bernard Fleming and Joseph Peoples, accused of fatally shooting Michael Edward Jones, got underway with opening statements Tuesday. Prosecutors say Fleming and Peoples ambushed and shot at Jones and his brother, killing one and injuring the other.

A judge sentenced 23-year-old James Brown Friday to 18 months in prison for shooting Darnell Rivers after Rivers and another man kidnapped his brother for ransom.

Howard Randolph was sentenced to two years Friday for a fist fight that led to Rayshawn Hailstock’s death, after a single punch on June 30, 2013.

A judge ordered Kevin Boykins to remain in jail Friday in connection with the January shooting death of Kevin Larnard James after a preliminary hearing.

In brief:

Five homicides were reported in D.C. this week:

• Alonzo Gregory Beasley, 52, was killed in a stabbing at 22nd and I Street Northeast on Sunday afternoon, according to MPD.
• DaShawn Hammonds, 23, was killed early Sunday morning in a shooting in the 1200 Block of Simms Place Northeast. Police officers found Hammonds unconscious and unresponsive at approximately 5:23 a.m.
• Michael Hrizuk, 57, died from injuries sustained in a beating that occurred in Northwest D.C. nearly two weeks earlier. Police have ruled his death was a homicide.
• MPD announced they are seeking the public’s help in identifying two persons of interest in the investigation into the murder of 76-year-old James Oh. Officers found Oh suffering from head trauma at approximately 5:19 p.m. on July 4 in the 5500 block of Colorado Avenue Northwest.
• The death of a man found beaten Sunday was ruled a homicide. Benjamin Jennings was found unconscious in the 1200 block of Bladensburg Road, Northeast shortly on July 6 and died the following evening.

Jurors found David Shepherd guilty of six criminal counts, including first-degree murder, in connection with the shooting death of Henry Charles Miller. During the five-day trial, prosecutors argued that evidence showed Shepherd intended to shoot Miller after an argument, but Shepherd took the stand to tell jurors it was self-defense.

Judge Jennifer Anderson sentenced David Jamal Wilson Friday to nine years in prison for the 2013 stabbing death of Howard Venable Jr. Wilson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed in May.

Frank Lee Branding, suspected of involuntary manslaughter, was released into high-intensity supervision Friday. Police believe Blanding killed an unidentified man when he punched the man twice and drove away after the man asked him for money and threatened him.

Attorneys for Joseph Chandler announced he will not move forward with an insanity defense. Chandler, 76, is charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death of Shirley Tucker.

Rasdavid Lagarde pleaded innocent to eight criminal charges Friday, including first-degree murder while armed, in the shooting death of Omar Sykes. Sykes, a Howard University student, was killed around 11:30 p.m. on July 4, 2013.

Judge Rhonda Winston sentenced Andre Burks Thursday to 15 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Antwan Boseman, which also wounded another man. Burks pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed and assault with a deadly weapon on June 2.

Malik Bilal was arrested and held on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with the death of Alonzo Gregory Beasley. Charging documents say a witness told police that Beasley and Bilal had been arguing for the past two days.

Judge Rhonda Reid Winston denied David Warren a new trial Monday with an order signed in her chambers. Judge Winston also amended Warren’s sentence on an armed carjacking charge by adding three years to the total in order to meet minimum sentencing standards.

In brief:

Three homicides were reported in D.C. this week:

• Early Sunday morning, 31-year-old Eboni Domally was found stabbed multiple times in the 5200 block of Queens Stroll Place Southeast, according to MPD.
• Darryl Delonta Jacobs, 23, was killed in a shooting in the 1900 block of H Street Northeast early Monday morning, MPD said.
• Police found 64-year-old Barbara Moore Friday night suffocated in a residence in the 4100 block of Gault Place Northeast, MPD announced Monday.

James Johnson, 30, was arrested and held on suspicion of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Talbert Mitchell Bright. Charging documents allege that Johnson shot Bright in a park near 2nd Street and Massachusetts Avenue NW over a can of beer.

Joshua Andrews, 22, was sentenced to 41 and a half years in prison by Judge Rhonda Winston. Jurors found Andrews guilty of first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill, and other five related charges in the June 2010 death of Darond Alonte Lucas.

Two charges of obstruction of justice against David Shepherd were dropped by prosecutors’ request three days before opening arguments in the trial charging David Shepherd in connection with the death of Henry Charles Miller.

Police identified Michael Gayle as a suspect in the stabbing death of Eboni Domally and asked for the public’s help in apprehending him. According to a press release, Gayle should be considered armed and dangerous.

Nilson Maldonado, 26, was arrested and held on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in the shooting death of Anthony Sanchez.

Manuel Garcia, 20, was arrested and held on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in the shooting death of Luis Melendez.

This post has been updated to include the death of a Southwest D.C. woman.

In brief:
Three homicides were reported this week in D.C.:

• Xavier Lyles, 3, died Tuesday in the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road, Southeast after police found him unconscious and unresponsive with no signs consistent with life.
• Talbert Mitchell Bright, 48, died after being found shot near the intersection of 2nd Street and Massachusetts Avenue Northwest early Saturday morning.
• Mary Anne Thomas was found unconscious and unresponsive on Friday morning in the 1200 block of Howison Place Southwest. Police say she died of a gunshot wound.

The body of a man found last Tuesday at 1800 block of 8th Street Northwest has been identified as Delano Wingfield, of Southeast D.C. Wingfield was discovered five days after Leon Young was found dead in the attic of the same house.

Prosecutors dropped a charge of voluntary manslaughter in the case against Corey Stoddard, suspected in the death of Kevin Lewis Crouch. Spokesperson William Miller said that the United States Attorney’s Office did not have sufficient evidence to go forward with Stoddard’s charge, but the investigation is ongoing.

James Walter Yates III pleaded guilty Wednesday to a charge of second-degree murder while armed in connection with the April shooting death of Andre Pierce Joyner. Under the plea agreement, Yates could be sentenced to 12 to 24 years in prison; prosecutors have asked that Yates be sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Michael Marshall withdrew his plea Wednesday to second-degree murder in the death of Antonio Headspeath. Previously, Marshall pleaded guilty and prosecutors planned to dismiss his charges of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and five related gun charges in exchange for his plea.

Joshua Mebane’s attorneys rejected a plea offer and told Judge Jennifer Anderson that they will pursue an insanity defense in his case. Mebane is charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death of Quadar Muhammad. His former codefendant Linda Bury pleaded guilty in May 2013 in connection with Muhammad’s death.

Judge Jennifer Anderson ruled there was substantial probability in the case against William Smallwood and Demitrich Jones for the shooting death of Rashard Raigns. Prosecutors argued that Smallwood, 22, and Jones, 16, planned to rob Raigns and video showed the two men covering their faces with shirts before they robbed Raigns.

Kevin Darrell Boykins, 43, was arrested and held in connection with the January shooting death of Kevin Lanard James. Charging documents say that James was killed in his car after a heated exchange with Boykins via text messages about a debt.

In brief:
There were two homicides reported this week:

• Metropolitan police found an unidentified man dead on Tuesday in the backyard area of the 1800 block of 8th street Northwest. The body was found five days after Leon Young was discovered in the same area.
• Luis E. Avila Melendez, 27, of Northwest D.C., was found shot in the 1600 block of Columbia Road Northwest.

On Monday, jurors found Arik Adanti Sims guilty of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and three related weapons charges in connection with the shooting death of Lamar Fonville after nearly two days of deliberations. Fonville, 33, was discovered dead on a sidewalk in the 7400 block of Georgia Avenue Northwest in September 2012.

Jeffrey Neal, 21, was charged Saturday with second-degree murder in connection to the death of Leon Young. Young was found dead at 11:30 a.m. on June 12 in the 1800 block of 8th street Northwest. Neal told police that Young confessed to killing another man before Young attempted to stab him.

A second juvenile was arrested and held in connection with the shooting death of Rashard Raigns. He is the third person arrested in connection with Raigns’ death.

David Warren was sentenced Friday to 36 years in prison for the May 2011 shooting death of Ervin Lamont Griffin. Jurors found 32-year-old Warren guilty of two counts of first-degree murder while armed, second-degree murder while armed, kidnapping while armed, armed carjacking, armed robbery, and related weapons offenses.

Khari Natron Williams was sentenced to 12 years in prison Friday for fatally shooting Angelo Alphonso Payne in Dec. 2012. Judge John Ramsey Johnson sentenced Williams under the Youth Rehabilitation Act, meaning he was sentenced as a youth and he will have the opportunity to clear his conviction from his record after serving his sentence.

Judge Jennifer Anderson sentenced Calvin Shaw Friday to 107 years in prison for two shootings, including one which killed 19-year-old Crevontai Key on July 4, 2012. Shaw was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder while armed in connection with Key’s death and over 30 other assault and weapon charges in the two shootings.

A man found dead in a burning home earlier this month in Northeast D.C. has been identified by police and his death was ruled a suicide.

This post has been updated to include Sunday’s shooting in Southeast DC.

In Brief:

There were three homicides reported this week:

• Gerald Sidney Martin was shot and killed Wednesday in Southeast D.C. Martin was found in the 1900 block of Bruce Place, Southeast, at approximately 1:31 p.m., suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
• Leon Young, a 22-year-old DC, was found beaten in Shaw mid-day Thursday. An autopsy Friday determined that he died of blunt force trauma. Jeffery Bernard Neal, 21, of Northwest DC, on suspicion of second-degree murder.
• A triple shooting shortly after midnight Sunday killed 20-year-old Delano Phillips. Two others were injured in the shooting.

Allen Thomas, 28, was presented with a charge of second-degree murder Thursday in connection to the stabbing death of Elike Rahmon Richardson. Richardson, 36, was found by police at the 4400 Block of C Street, Southeast on May 13, suffering from multiple stab wounds. Thomas was arrested Wednesday, and ordered held without bond pending a preliminary hearing June 27.

Demitrich Jones, 16, was presented Thursday with the charge of first-degree murder while armed in connection to the shooting death of Rashard Raigns, 33. According to charging documents, Raigns was shot by another suspect in the case, William Smallwood, who was arrested Tuesday. Raigns was found by police on June 4, in the 1900 Block of Fenwick Street Northwest suffering from a gunshot wound.

William Smallwood, 22, was presented Wednesday with the charge of first-degree murder while armed in connection to the shooting death of Rashard Raigns. According to police, Raigns was killed during a robbery on June 4, in Northwest D.C. Court documents say video police recovered shows three men try to steal a laptop from Raigns. Smallwood is held without bond and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 26.

During a preliminary hearing Monday, Judge Russell Canan found probable cause for the charge of second-degree murder against Tracy Mathis,30, in connection to the shooting death of India Chapple. Police found 26-year-old Chapple suffering from a stab wound to the chest in the the 2500 Block of Pomeroy Road Southeast on April 19, at approximately 2 a.m. Mathis and Chapple had two children together.

Judge Rhonda Winston ruled Thursday that there is substantial probability in the case against Antonio Hester, in connection with the shooting death of Tracy McFadden. On the early morning hours of January 19, 2013, police found 44-year-old McFadden outside a nightclub on the 2700 Block of Georgia Avenue Northwest suffering from six gunshot wounds, including four to his neck.

Antonio Williams was sentenced Friday to four years and two months in prison for the death of Andre McIntyre on March 1, 2014. Emergency personnel found McIntyre bleeding from a head wound and unconscious near the 300 block of Ridge Road Southeast just after midnight. He later died at the hospital. McIntyre pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in April.

Alphonso Cleveland was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison for strangling his wife Claudia Hall, to death, and stabbing her. Hall, 51, was the first homicide victim of this year. She was found dead by police in her apartment at the 300 block of 18th Place Northeast at approximately 2:20 p.m. Cleveland, 52, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in April.

Lester Williams and Marcellus Jackson were sentenced Friday for the shooting death of Jamal Coates on Sept. 28, 2010. Williams was sentenced to 47 years, and Jackson was sentenced to 38 years. The three men, along with Keir Johnson, were convicted of multiple criminal counts including conspiracy, murder, obstruction of justice, assault, and weapons charges.

In Brief:

Two people were killed in DC this week

• Rashard Raigns, 33, was fatally shot in the 1900 block of Fenwick Street Northeast early Wednesday morning. Police released surveillance camera footage from near the scene and are seeking to identify three men seen in the images.
• Cortez Carter, 23, of Capitol Heights, Maryland was fatally shot in Southeast DC early Friday morning.

A man fatally shot Friday May 30 in the 1200 block of North Capitol Street Northwest was identified as Donta Thrower of Northwest DC.

After nearly two-and-a-half years of being suspected in the shooting death of Junon Snead, Andrew Williams was found innocent Thursday by jurors after less than one day of deliberations. The trial began earlier this week. In closing arguments, defense attorney Kevin Irving asked jurors whether they could trust the testimony of security guards who detained a man for loitering but failed to follow up on a murder in the same night. Prosecutors had argued Snead was killed for refusing to retaliate against the guards who detained their friend that night.

Arik Sims‘ trial on charges that he shot and killed his friend, Lamar Fonville, because he believed Fonville burglarized his mother’s house began this week. Another of Sims’ friends, Geoffrey Adams, testified this week. He said that days after Sims told him he killed Fonville, he still didn’t know what to do. As a military police officer, he knew he was obligated to tell authorities, but Sims was like a brother to him, Adams said Thursday. “I was between a rock and a hard place,” said Adams on the stand.

Stephanie Lawson was sentenced to 33 months in prison for the stabbing death of her friend, Karen Jordan.

Andre Burks pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed and assault with a deadly weapon for the shooting death of Antwan Boseman and wounding another man after Burks and Boseman got into an argument.

Antonio Shaw pleaded innocent to charges of second-degree murder while armed and carrying a dangerous weapon outside a home or place of business in connection to the 2013 stabbing death of Ernest Heart.

Lillian Alvarado was found competent to stand trial for the death of her newborn son, according a May 29 report from the the D.C. Department of Behavioral Health.