Ahmal McGainey | Homicide Watch DC

Teenage Suspect Held in Johnie Lee Resper Shooting

Amelia Rufer — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 18:32:02 -0500

Judge Lynn Leibovitz found probable cause Monday to hold 17-year-old Ahmal McGainey on second-degree murder while armed for the October 1 murder of Johnie Lee Resper.

Police found Resper, 18, suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest and a head injury in the 200 block of Adams Street Northeast.

According to court documents, police believe that McGainey chased Resper after he witnessed Resper and two unidentified males stab and assault his friend in the 400 block of Rhode Island Avenue Northweast.

That friend told police that he was with McGainey at the time he was stabbed, documents say. McGainey initially denied shooting Resper.

Seventeen days after the murder, police responded to a hit and run and found McGainey and his brother. When police arrested McGainey, they found a Colt .38 Special revolver behind the passenger seat and five rounds of ammunition, documents say. An MPD firearm examination found that one of the rounds matched the bullet found recovered from Resper's body.

McGainey, who is being charged as an adult, is scheduled to appear before Judge Jennifer Anderson for a felony status conference on January 23 at 11:00 a.m.

Teen Murder Suspect Told Police "He Did What He Had To Do"

Imari Williams — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 20:00:18 -0500

A teenage boy, identified as Ahmal McGainey, was held Thursday on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection to the October death of Johnie Lee Resper. He has been charged as an adult.

On October 1, police found Resper, 18, lying on his back and on the sidewalk along the 200 block of Adams Street Northeast suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest and a head injury. He was taken to a local hospital where he died.

McGainey, 17, was arrested on November 12.

MPD officers believe McGainey shot Resper in retaliation after witnessing Resper and two unidentified males stab and assault his friend.

According to charging documents, a witness told police it was stabbed by Resper in the 400 block of Rhode Island Avenue Northeast minutes before Resper's death. It said that it had saw Resper and two other individuals as it was leaving a building to go meet up with McGainey and another friend. While walking with it's friends, Resper and the two individuals jumped him, according to the witness.

According to court documents, the witness told police McGainey was with it that night and gave police a physical description of him. It said McGainey was wearing a black rolled up ski mask and tan pants. It identified McGainey in a photo provided by police.

In a interview with police, McGainey initially denied shooting Resper and told police he knew who had shot Resper, documents say. But, he later said that after the stabbing he witnessed an altercation. McGainey told police that he noticed a boy behind a car that he knows as Johnie arguing with a man. According to charging documents, he stopped and looked to see Resper holding up a gun and it appeared as if he was trying to shoot, but the gun jammed. McGainey told police that Resper was pointing the gun at him and the crowd, so "he did what he had to do." He said he shot 2 or 3 times, but did not look because he was scared, court documents say.

A second witness told police it saw Resper pulling a bandana or mask up on to cover his face while crouching near a fence on the west side of the 2200 block of 3rd Street Northeast, documents say. It said Resper made a gesture that made it seem like he had a gun, but it didn't see one. According to documents, the witness then saw McGainey and another individual approach on bicycles and they appeared to have guns. It heard the three men "trash talking" as it entered a building. Seconds later, the witness heard multiple gunshots.

Police located a ski mask yards away from Resper but found no firearm on him or near the scene.

Responding to a hit and run 17 days later, police located McGainey and his brother, who were stopped while standing outside of an unoccupied car where officers found a Colt .38-special revolver on the rear floor, documents state. According to forensic examinations, the weapon recovered is the same weapon that fired a bullet into Resper's body and was removed by a medical examiner.

McGainey is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Nov. 24 at 9:30 before Judge Jennifer Anderson.

A copy of charging documents are below:

Juvenile Arrested in Shooting that Killed Johnie Lee Resper

Imari Williams — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 09:46:34 -0500

A teenage boy has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of Johnie Lee Resper on October 1, MPD announced Wednesday.

The juvenile was not identified by police. He is suspected of second-degree murder, police say.

Resper, 18, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds near the intersection of the 200 block of Adams Street Northeast.

A copy of the police press release is after the jump:

Arrest Made in Homicide: 3rd and Adams Streets, Northeast

(Washington, DC) – Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch announced an arrest has been made in the homicide of 18-year-old Johnie Lee Resper of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, which occurred Wednesday, October 1, 2014 near the intersection of 3rd and Adams Streets, Northeast.

On Wednesday, November 12, 2014, members from the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested a juvenile male charging him with Second Degree Murder While Armed in the shooting death of Johnie Lee Resper.