Alex Jerome Cater | Homicide Watch DC

Alex Cater Sentenced to 10 Years in Strangling Death of Leroy Studevant

Clara Pak — Fri, 01 Nov 2013 16:24:41 -0400

Alex Cater was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the strangling death of 56-year-old Leroy Studevant.

"The day started out normal and it ended in tragedy for Mr. Studevant and myself," Cater said about New Year's Eve 2011, the night Studevant died. "If I could take it back, I would."

Police arrested Cater five months after Studevant was found dead in Marvin Gaye Park with a broken knife blade under his body and belt around his neck. His death was recognized as the first homicide of 2012. Cater's arrest came after his jacket tested positive for Studevant's blood. He was later held and indicted on first-degree murder and robbery charges.

"It was a terrible crime partially because it was senseless and partially because it was violent," said Judge Lynn Leibovitz before handing down the 10 year sentence.

Studevant's death stemmed from a dispute when the victim refused to give Cater a cigarette, court documents state.

Mark Coates, a codefendant in the case, was sentenced in September to 23 years in prison.

Coates pleaded guilty in July, one month after Cater pleaded guilty, to second-degree murder while armed in connection with Studevant's murder.

Mark Coates Sentenced to 23 Years for Leroy Studevant Murder

Ivan Natividad — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 11:35:42 -0400

Judge Herbert Dixon sentenced Mark Anthony Coates Monday to 23 years in prison for the December 2011 death of 56-year-old Leroy Studevant.

"There is absolutely nothing in your background to justify what you did," Judge Dixon said. "I really wish you had walked away, or intervened to help."

Prosecutors said Monday that Coates helped to kill a man over 30 years older than him during a fight for a cigarette. Studevant was found stabbed and strangled in a Northeast DC park on New Year's Eve 2011. His death was ruled the first homicide of 2012.

"I just want to say I'm sorry for the family's loss," Coates said Monday. "It wasn't supposed to be this way."

On December 31, 2011 around 7:30 am police found Studevant dead on the 4200 block of Hunt Place Northeast. A medical examiner determined Studevant’s cause of death to be strangulation associated with piercing blunt force trauma; the death was ruled a homicide. More than a year later, Coates and his alleged accomplice, Alex Cater, were both arrested and held in suspicion of Studevant's death.

Coates pleaded guilty in July to second-degree murder while armed in connection with Studevant's murder; one month after Cater pleaded guilty.

Court documents state Studevant was killed in a dispute over a cigarette.

The morning of the murder, Coates, Cater and Studevant were walking down 42nd Street Northeast, when Cater got upset because Studevant would not give him a cigarette. Cater forced Studevant into a park nearby, Coates followed, and the two began beating Studevant.

During the assault, Studevant managed to break away and run across the park. Coates and Cater chased Studevant, and cornered him. Cater then pulled out a knife and stabbed Studevant. Cater gave the knife to Coates who also stabbed him. The two then continued to beat Studevant, kicking him while on the ground, documents state.

Documents state that Coates then removed the belt from Studevant’s waist and choked him with it until he no longer resisted.

Press release below

District Man Sentenced to 23-Year Prison Term For 2011 Strangling at Northeast Washington Park-Victim Was Stabbed, Choked and Robbed in Late-Night Attack-

WASHINGTON – Mark Coates, 28, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a 23-year prison term on a charge of second-degree murder while armed for the slaying of a man at a park in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Coates pled guilty in July 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. Upon completion of his prison term, Coates will be placed on five years of supervised release.

According to the government’s evidence, between 11 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, 2011, and 1 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011, Coates and an accomplice forced the victim, Leroy Studevant, 56, into the Marvin Gaye Park in the 4200 block of Hunt Place NE, where they punched and kicked him.

During the assault, Mr. Studevant managed to escape, and he ran across the park. However, Coates and the accomplice chased Mr. Studevant through the park, until Coates ultimately cut off Mr. Studevant’s flight path. Using a knife, Coates and his accomplice then stabbed Mr. Studevant. After forcing Mr. Studevant to the ground, Coates and his accomplice kicked him, and Coates was able to unhook and remove Mr. Studevant’s belt from around his waist. The belt was placed around Mr. Studevant’s neck as a noose, and he was choked with the belt until he no longer resisted. During the altercation, a wallet and cell phone were removed from Mr. Studevant’s pockets. Coates and his accomplice split the money in the wallet.

An autopsy determined that Mr. Studevant died as a result of the strangling and assault in the park. The reason for the attack was because the victim would not share his cigarettes.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the detectives, officers, and crime scene technicians who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department. He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Kendra Johnson, Ethel Nobel, Marian Russell, and Sandra Lane; Lead Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman; Victim/Witness Advocate Tamara Ince; Victim Witness Security Specialist Katina Adams-Washington; Investigator Nelson Rhone; and Intelligence Specialists Lawrence Grasso, Zachary McMenamin, Shannon Alexis, and Sharon Johnson. Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen recognized the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley Nielsen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Feitel, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Alex Cater Pleads Guilty in Connection with Leroy Studevant Murder

Penny Ray — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 18:41:13 -0400

Alex Cater, one of the two suspects held in connection with the 2011 strangulation death of 56-year-old Leroy Studevant, pleaded guilty Wednesday.

Court documents, though, are not clear as to what charge Cater pled guilty to, saying only that Cater, 31, and the government "enter into the following plea agreement pursuant to attached paperwork." The attachments were not available at DC Superior Court Thursday.

Cater was arrested May 18, 2012, five months after police found Studevant dead in Marvin Gaye Park with a belt tied around his neck and three puncture wounds to his upper body. Cater was later held and indicted on first-degree murder and robbery charges.

Mark Coates, a co-defendant in the case, was arrested two weeks ago and held on a charge of felony murder in connection with Studevant's death.

Charging documents related to Coates’ arrest say that a witness, who has entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors, told detectives that Studevant was killed after refusing to give up a cigarette.

Cater is scheduled for a status hearing August 20. Coates is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Friday.

Plea documents will be added to this post when they are available.

Mark Anthony Coats Arrested in Connection with Leroy Studevant Murder

Penny Ray — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 05:46:36 -0400

A second suspect in connection with the 2011 murder of 56-year-old Leroy Studevant was arrested Tuesday.

Mark Anthony Coats, 28, of Northeast D.C. was arrested Tuesday on a charge of first-degree murder while armed in connection Studevant's death.

Police found Studevant dead in Marvin Gaye Park on December 31, 2011, with a broken knife blade under his body and a belt around his neck. Alex Cater was held in connection with the case last year.

A press relase from MPD is below.

Arrest Made in Homicide in the 4200 Block of Hunt Place, NE

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in the strangulation and stabbing homicide of Leroy Studevant that occurred in the 4200 block of Hunt Place, NE.

On Saturday, December 31, 2011, shortly after 7:30 am, units from the Sixth District responded to the 4200 block of Hunt Place, NE for the report of an unconscious male near a creek under a pathway. Personnel from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services also responded to the scene and determined the male had no signs of life. He was later pronounced dead by a member of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. On Sunday, January 1, 2012, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death as homicide. The cause of death was ruled as strangulation associated with piercing blunt force trauma.

The decedent was identified as 56 year-old Leroy Studevant of Northeast, DC.

On Friday, May 18, 2012, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested an adult male of Northeast, DC pursuant to an arrest warrant and charged him with Murder Two while Armed in the homicide of Leroy Studevant.

On Tuesday, June 11, 2013, members of the Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, pursuant to a DC Superior Court arrest warrant, arrested 28 year-old Mark Anthony Coats of Northeast, DC, charging him with First Degree Murder While Armed in the homicide of Leroy Studevant.

Alex Cater Held in Leroy Studevant Murder Case

Rebecca Zisser — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:55:27 -0400

Alex Cater was ordered held by Judge Thomas Motley at the conclusion of his preliminary hearing Thursday.

Wednesday, Motley found probable cause that Cater is responsible for the December 2011 stabbing death of Leroy Studevant.

Studevant was found dead in Marvin Gaye Park the morning of Dec. 31, 2011. His pants, shoes, and socks were wet. A t-shirt, two black jackets, and a broken knife blade lay under him. A belt was around his neck.

The next day, Jan. 1, 2012, Studevant’s death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner. It was the first homicide of 2012.

"Probable Cause" Found in Marvin Gaye Park New Years Homicide

Laura Amico — Wed, 30 May 2012 18:24:25 -0400

In a marathon of a preliminary hearing set to stretch out over three days, Judge Thomas Motley found probable cause Wednesday that Alex Cater is responsible for the December 2011 stabbing death of Leroy Studevant.

Studevant was found dead in Marvin Gaye Park the morning of Dec. 31, 2011. His pants, shoes, and socks were wet. A t-shirt, two black jackets, and a broken knife blade lay under him. A belt was around his neck.

The next day, Jan. 1, 2012, Studevant's death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner. It was the first homicide of 2012.

An investigator from the Public Defender's Service testified at the preliminary hearing that Studevant, Cater, and Cater's mother and uncle were all together the evening of Dec. 30.

Charging documents say the foursome had gathered to play cards and drink. Carter left the apartment with his uncle and Studevant late that night, or early in morning of Dec. 31. The three walked together towards a Metro station. Also in the early morning hours of Dec. 31, two witnesses heard or saw a suspicious situation involving three men. One of the witnesses reported hearing a man scream; the other "heard a big cracking noise" and saw two men standing over a third.

Dybdahl said Cater had nothing to do with that situation: on the walk to the Metro Studevant encountered people he seemed to know and broke off from Cater's group to join the other, Dybdahl said.

When Cater was arrested just days later on a paternity support warrant, officers noticed a jacket with blood on it hanging by the door. Test results showed that some of the blood was Studevant's, leading police to arrest Cater on a charge of second-degree murder while armed.

But Dybdahl said that that evidence did not make a murder case and that there was no evidence that Cater was in Marvin Gaye Park when Studevant was killed.

Dybdahl said his investigation had revealed that Studevant, Cater, and the others had been drinking heavily while playing cards and that, after leaving the card game, Studevant had stumbled and fallen, striking his face and injuring himself. Cater helped Studevant up, Dybdahl said, and blood from Studevant's injuries in the fall rubbed onto Cater's jacket.

"There is an explanation for it that has nothing to do with homicide," he said.

Motley said he agreed with Dybdahl in part, and that if he were making a decision on the basis of reasonable doubt he would find the defendant not guilty. However, deciding probable cause, which bears a lesser burden of proof, “is a horse of a different color,” he said.

The hearing began shortly before noon Tuesday. Motley excused attorneys Tuesday evening when the case had not yet wrapped up. He recalled it Wednesday afternoon, but again ran out of time at the end of the day to complete the proceeding. Parties are due back Thursday morning to discuss Cater's detention.

Rebecca Zisser contributed to this report.

Note: Police records identified Cater also as "Alex Carter." Dybdahl said that that name was likely an error and is not associated with Alex Cater. We've updated the case page to reflect that information.

Suspect's Jacket in Marvin Gaye Park Homicide Tested Positive for Victim's Blood

Laura Amico — Mon, 21 May 2012 13:13:53 -0400

DC's first murder of the year was closed with an arrest this month after a man's jacket tested positive for the victim's blood.

Alex Carter, also known as Alex Cater, was arrested Friday on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with the death 56-year-old Leroy Studevant.

According to charging documents in the case, Carter's arrest came just days after police recieved results from a DNA lab where they had sent Carter's jacket for testing. Those results showed that Studevant's blood was on the 31-year-old's jacket.

Studevant was found dead in Marvin Gaye Park early in the morning of Dec. 31. A belt was tied around his neck and his body had been stabbed three times. Because the medical examiner didn't rule on the case until after Jan. 1, 2012, it was ruled a 2012 homicide.

According to the charging documents, Carter, Studevant, and two other people got together on Dec. 30 to play cards. Carter, Studevant, and another person left the gathering together late that night, or early in morning of Dec. 31. Studevant's body was found in the park at 7:36 a.m.

Carter was arrested just days later on a paternity support warrant. When leaving the apartment, officers asked him if he'd like to wear a coat that was nearby. At the suggestion, "Carter's facial expression dramatically changed and he stated he did not want to put on the coat. Police looked closely at the coat and discovered what appeared to be blood," the charging documents state.

The coat was sent to the lab in February and detectives were notified that it was Studevant's blood on the jacket in May.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 29.

Alex Carter Arrested in New Year's Eve Marvin Gaye Park Death

Laura Amico — Fri, 18 May 2012 14:37:39 -0400

Alex Carter, a 31-year-old Northeast DC man, was arrested today on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with the death of Leroy Studevant.

Studevant was found dead in Marvin Gaye Park on New Years Eve, the victim of an apparent strangulation. He is considered the first homicide victim of 2012.

A press release from MPD is below.

May 18, 2012

Arrest Made in Homicide in the 4200 Block of Hunt Place, NE

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in the strangulation and stabbing homicide of Leroy Studevant that occurred in the 4200 block of Hunt Place, NE.

On Saturday, December 31, 2011, shortly after 7:30 am, units from the Sixth District responded to the 4200 block of Hunt Place, NE for the report of an unconscious male near a creek under a pathway. Personnel from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services also responded to the scene and determined the male had no signs of life. He was later pronounced dead by a member of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. On Sunday, January 1, 2012, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death as homicide. The cause of death was ruled as strangulation associated with piercing blunt force trauma.

The decedent was identified as 56 year-old Leroy Studevant of Northeast, DC.

On Friday, May 18, 2012, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 31-year-old Alex Jerome Cater of Northeast, DC pursuant to an arrest warrant and charged him with Murder Two while Armed in the homicide of Leroy Studevant.