Alisha King | Homicide Watch DC

Detectives: Simmering Feud Preceded Arthur Lee Gaither's Death

Amelia Rufer — Mon, 15 Dec 2014 17:06:50 -0500

Before the fight that left Arthur Lee Gaither dead, John Dyson and Alisha King left a note on his girlfriend's car, warning him: "Dis ain't what you want lil dude."

Charging documents say Dyson and King went to Gaither's residence on December 9 to confront him about threatening texts he sent to Dyson earlier that morning. They knocked on his apartment door, documents say, but no one answered. It's unclear if Gaither ever saw their note.

A judge found probable cause Monday against Dyson and King for second-degree murder charges in connection with Gaither's death. Dyson will be held at the D.C. jail until his arraignment. King, who has no prior criminal record, is released into high intensity supervision.

Gaither lived in the Arbor View Apartments in the 1200 block of Southern Avenue Southeast. During the hearing, the prosecution played surveillance video showing Dyson and King in the apartment complex's parking lot. After they leave the note, Dyson and King walk towards the exit onto Southern Avenue.

Detective James Wilson testified that Gaither was in his apartment when King and Dyson knocked on the door. He called 911 and told police he was being threatened.

It is unclear why Gaither left his apartment. When King and Dyson saw him, the three of them leave the camera's view. A couple minutes later, Gaither is being chased by King and Dyson.

Video from another camera angle shows Dyson and King in a fight with Gaither. The video is not close enough to reveal who, if either of them, had the knife that killed Gaither. The video shows the two of them running away, but Gaither never gets up again.

When police arrested Dyson and King, both denied stabbing Gaither and neither one had a knife. Dyson had a small laceration on his pinky that was bleeding.

But King's defense attorney, Janet Mitchell, argued that Dyson was the one who had motive.

Dyson was mad about the threatening texts from Gaither and told King that he wanted to "f-- him up," according to charging documents.

Mitchell said King had no idea that Dyson was intending to kill Gaither. In King's mind, there was going to be a verbal confrontation and possibly a fist fight.

Additionally, Detective Wilson testified that Dyson and Gaither's girlfriend had a child together. Dyson threatened to kill her in a phone call to her mother that he made during the summer.

Wilson said the disagreement between Dyson and Gaither has been going for at least that long. Gaither and his girlfriend were living together at Arbor View.

"It is clear that Dyson arrives to confront Gaither," Judge Russell Canan said before ruling. "What is equally clear is that Mr. Gaither is a willing participant."

Judge Canan said it was impossible to determine who started the fight because the interaction before the assault was out of camera view.

"It seems to me that in reality, Mr. Dyson stabbed Mr. Gaither," Judge Canan told the court. "It's not uncommon when people use knives that they cut themselves."

King and Dyson are scheduled for a status hearing on February 6 at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 302.

John Dyson, Alisha King Held in Stabbing Death of Arthur Lee Gaither

Chris Amico — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 21:58:24 -0500

A judge ordered John Dyson and Alisha King held on suspicion of second-degree murder for the stabbing death of Arthur Lee Gaither.

Gaither was found in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 1200 block of Southern Avenue Southeast.

Security camera video from the apartment complex shows Dyson and King "punching, kneeing and assaulting" Gaither, before fleeing up nearby Wheeler Road, charging documents say. When police arrived, a woman was standing over Gaither, calling for help. Gaither died at George Washington University Hospital.

King told detectives that Dyson, her boyfriend, had received threatening text messages from Gaither that morning, and that Dyson wanted to go over the Gaither's apartment and "f-- the decedent up," charging documents say.

Dyson and King went to Gaither's apartment, but he didn't answer when they knocked, according to charging documents. They left a note.

As they were leaving, though, Gaither met them in the parking lot. Both Dyson and King said Gaither reached toward his waistband, hinting that he had a gun. Why did he need a gun, King asked, documents say. Why not fight Dyson "straight up?"

After the fight, video shows Dyson and King running away, and Gaither, on the ground, not moving. Detectives never found a weapon on him.

Dyson and King are scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Friday, December 12, before Judge Russell Canan.

Charging documents are embedded below:

One Dead, Two Arrested in Stabbing on Southern Ave SE

Amelia Rufer — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 21:30:47 -0500

A stabbing Tuesday morning left 28-year-old Arthur Lee Gaither dead, according to MPD.

John Dyson, 25, and Alisha King, 23, were arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with Gaither's death.

Police found Gaither suffering from stab wounds in the 1200 block of Southern Avenue Southeast around 10 a.m. Tuesday. He was transported to a local hospital and died shortly after.

A press release from MPD is after the jump.

December 9, 2014

Two Arrests Made in Homicide:
1200 Block of Southern Avenue, SE

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced two arrests have been made in the fatal stabbing which occurred in the 1200 block of Southern Avenue, Southeast. On Tuesday, December 9, 2014, at approximately 10:04 am, units from the Seventh District responded to the front of 1200 block of Southern Avenue, SE for an investigate the trouble call. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from apparent stab wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded and transported the victim to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent has been identified as 28-year-old Arthur Lee Gaither of Southeast, DC.

During the investigation, Seventh District Officers stopped two individuals and both were transported to the Homicide Branch for questioning. While at the Homicide Branch, 25-year-old John Dyson and 23-year old Alisha King, both of Southeast, DC, were arrested and charged with Second Degree Murder While Armed in the stabbing death of Arthur Gaither.