Week Ahead

Each week, Homicide Watch brings you a list of upcoming hearings in the cases we follow. All hearings are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. unless otherwise noted. To add an item to the listing, email homicidewatchdc [at] gmail.com. To see scheduled court hearings beyond next week, see our calendar.
Read more

Witnesses Identify Murder Suspect After MPD Releases Video of Carlton Coltrane Assault

Zerrick Brown, 42, was held without bond in connection to the death of Carlton Coltrane, who was killed after sustaining injuries in a robbery at a 7-Eleven near the Eastern Market Metro Station.

Judge Karen Howze found probable cause to hold Brown based on identifications made from a surveillance video released by Metropolitan Police.

Another witness who was at the store during the incident did not identify any suspects, according to court documents.

Coltrane, 60, was buying groceries after midnight on May 6 from the 7-Eleven in 400 block of 8th Street Southeast when he was dragged out of the store by a man wearing a white kufi, or brimless cap, according to court documents.
Read more

Zerrick Brown Arrested in Assault That Lead To Carlton Coltrane’s Death

A 42-year-old Northwest D.C. man was arrested Thursday in connection with the death of 60-year-old Carlton Coltrane last Friday.

The man, identified by police as Zerrick Brown, is suspected of first-degree felony murder. Police believe Coltrane was beaten in a robbery attempt last week and died of his injuries last Friday.

On May 6, Coltrane was found with abrasions and swelling in his face in the 400 block of 8th Street, Southeast. He was transported to a local hospital, but later succumbed to his injuries.

A press release from MPD is after the jump.
Read more

Jermaine Dews Identified as Man Fatally Shot in NE D.C.

A man who died after being shot in the 5800 Block of Field Place, Northeast has been identified as Jermaine Dews, 27, from Southeast D.C., police said Thursday afternoon.

Dews was found with multiple gunshot wounds when police responded to sounds of gunshots at approximately 3:10 p.m. Wednesday. He died at the scene.

A press release from the Metropolitan Police Departments is after the jump.
Read more

Comment of the Day: “My brother had a drug problem. He is not a murder.”

This comment of the day comes from O’s Lil Sis who wrote about Ercell Overton, after he was sentenced to 28 years in prison. She writes:

My brother had a drug problem. He is not a murder. Before he started smoking PCP he was a very loving and caring person. He had a lot of mental issuses and doctors failed him and in the process of him trying to medicate his self he started smoking pcp. And it slowly changed him. What my brother did was wrong because a life was lost. But people make mistakes. My brother regrets what he did and he will carry his actions for the rest of his life. But walk a mile in a person shoes before you judge.

Links Roundup: Man Stabbed in SE DC Tuesday Night Dies of Injuries


Update: MPD has identified the victim in this case as 36-year-old Elike Rahmon Richardson of Southeast. Richardson’s first name was previously misstated. A corrected press release from MPD has been added to the bottom of this post.

A Tuesday night stabbing in the 4400 block of C Street, Southeast killed 36-year-old Elike Rahmon Richardson of Southeast, according to MPD press officer Ariz Alali.

According to media reports, police are looking for four suspects and no arrests have been made at this time.
Read more

New Indictment Adds Charges for Daquan Tinker in Terrence Robinson Murder

Daquan Tinker, 18, pleaded innocent Tuesday to first-degree murder, felony murder, armed robbery, and six related charges in connection with the 2012 shooting death of Terrence Robinson.

This indictment is the second delivered by a grand jury in the case. Tinker was initially indicted last May on one charge of first-degree murder and a related weapons violation.

In March, Tinker declined a government plea offer to accept guilt for a second-degree murder charge.
Read more

Comment of the Day: “I am going to miss my brother I love you”

This Comment of the Day comes from Brittany, who wrote in about Andre Joyner. He writes:

I am going to miss my brother I love you fat fool #FatDre

Carlton Coltrane, 60, Killed in SE DC Robbery

A 60-year-old man beaten in a robbery attempt last week died of his injuries on Friday, MPD said Sunday night.

The man is identified as Carlton Coltrane of Southeast DC.

MPD is seeking two people in relation to Coltrane’s death. Both are pictured in a YouTube video of surveillance video from what appears to be a convenience store.

A press release from MPD is after the jump.
Read more

Week in Review

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

  • Mary Houston, 75, of Northeast D.C., was found dead in the 800 block of Channing Place Northeast on Wednesday after being reported missing Monday. Medical examiners determined that Houston died of blunt force injuries and asphyxiation and ruled her death a homicide Thursday.
  • MPD said Monday that the death of 80-year-old Lucille Proctor has been ruled a homicide. Proctor was found dead on February 13 inside a three story row house on the 4600 block of 4th Street Northwest after D.C. firefighters responded to a report of a house on fire.

Tisheena Brown pleaded guilty Wednesday to voluntary manslaughter and second-degree insurance fraud in connection to the overdose death of her seven-week-old son Hakeem Brown in Sept. 2013. Prosecutors say Brown admitted to giving her infant son a lethal dose of Promethazine, a prescription drug she had been abusing since 2008.

Howard Randolph pleaded guilty Thursday to involuntary manslaughter in connection to the fist fight that led to Rayshawn Hailstock’s death. Randolph, 33, admitted to punching Hailstock once, causing him to fall forward and hit his head. Medical examiners said the punch, not the fall, is what caused his death, according to prosecutors.

Corey Saxton pleaded guilty Friday to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of Roshaine Henry on March 5. According to court documents, Saxton got into Henry’s car to negotiate the purchase of marijuana.

David Jamal Wilson pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed Friday in connection to the 2013 stabbing death of 68-year-old Howard Venable Jr in Feb. 2013. Prosecutors say Wilson and two other individuals robbed Venable in his apartment and during the robbery one or both of the unidentified accomplices stabbed Venable.

Donte Graves pleaded guilty Friday to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of 22-year-old Tyrone Joyner in February 2013. The plea came less than six weeks after a jury was unable to decide whether or not Graves was guilty of murder.

Leon Allen Smith pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder and obstruction of justice in connection to the stabbing death of 45-year-old Stephan Manuel Pool. According to the proffer of facts, 29-year-old Smith admitted to stabbing Pool once in the heart using his pocket knife because he became enraged after seeing his girlfriend give Pool a hug and a “peck on the cheek.”

Todd Green pleaded innocent Friday to first-degree murder while armed, armed robbery, and four related weapons charges in connection with the death of Timothy Dawkins. Prosecutors say that another suspect is expected to be indicted in connection with Dawkins’s death in the next 60 days.

Allen Culver pleaded innocent Friday to eight criminal charges including first-degree murder in connection to the shooting death of 31-year-old Robert Plight. Detectives say that Plight was shot after he approached Culver and asked him why Culver robbed his younger brother.

***Correction: This post originally misstated the location of Venable’s apartment. Venable lived in the 1600 block of Fuller Street Northwest.