DeAndre Shaheed | Homicide Watch DC

DeAndre Shaheed Gets 20 Years for Shooting Death of Akinwole Olu Williams

Megan Arellano — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 18:44:40 -0400

"I cried that day because you were so young," Kofi Ross Minor told her brother's killer, DeAndre Shaheed before his sentencing. "This little boy, this baby, who looked so innocent, stole my brother's life."

Shaheed, now 19, pleaded guilty in July to second-degree murder while armed for his role in the shooting death of Akinwole Olu Williams.

On Friday, Judge Jennifer Anderson sentenced Shaheed to 20 years in prison for his actions. Williams, she told Shaheed, "is an example of how you can rise above circumstances."

Williams' mother Ife Chambers told the court Friday that her son had finished a degree program at Catholic University while working full-time just before his death.

In his business plan, Williams aspired to start a nonprofit whose ultimate purpose was to uplift marginalized people, Chambers said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Bradford said Friday that Shaheed was "hunting" for someone to rob with Floyd Neal and Lafeyette Robinson on the night Williams rode the Metro home from a job fair.

"Make no mistake," Bradford said, "this is not the act of someone not thinking about what he's doing, this was a calculated act."

Shaheed and the men followed Williams from the Deanwood Metro stop, even taking a short cut to beat him home.

Co-defendants Neal and Robinson pleaded guilty to armed robbery in connection with the case on August 5.

"My brother lived and breathed about your hope," Ross Minor said, but he "died alone on the street because of selfishness."

Akintunde Paul, Williams' brother, told the court that he lived with his brother for ten years before his death. In that time, Williams "stretched himself thin in order for me to to enjoy myself," Paul said.

"He was a big inspiration for me in my life. He was the person who I strived to be like."

Feir Pace, Shaheed's girlfriend, told the court that Shaheed was remorseful for his actions, and had even cried on a phone call with her. "There's no excuse for what he's done," she said, but "he has a heart."

Shaheed's attorney Steven Kiersh said Shaheed seemed to have "a very genuine evolution" towards feeling very remorseful. Shaheed, Kiersh said, was very nervous and "not much of a public speaker", so he instead asked Kiersh to express his apologies.

Regarding his client's sentence, Kiersh requested that Shaheed should receive some "small benefit" from his decision to plea, rather than subject the Williams family to a trial.

Before his sentence was read, Shaheed turned to Williams family and said simply, "I apologize to the family."

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office is below.

District Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison
For Killing Man in Robbery
-Victim Was Accosted While Coming Home From Work

WASHINGTON – Deandre Shaheed, 19, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to second-degree murder while armed in the slaying of a man who was on his way home from work, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Shaheed, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty in July 2014 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Jennifer Anderson. Upon completion of his prison term, Shaheed will be placed on five years of supervised release.

Two other men also pled guilty in July 2014 to charges in the case. Floyd Neal, 21, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty to one count of armed robbery and one count of carrying a dangerous weapon. Lafeyette Robinson, 21, also of Washington, D.C., pled guilty to one count of armed robbery. Neal and Robinson are to be sentenced Oct. 17, 2014.

According to the government’s evidence, on March 14, 2013, Shaheed, Neal, and Robinson decided to rob someone and armed themselves with a sawed-off shotgun. Robinson gave the shotgun to Shaheed. The group walked to the Deanwood Metro station in Northeast Washington, looking for a target.

Once there, they saw the victim, Akinwole Olu Williams, leaving the subway station. Mr. Williams, 31, who had completed his credits at Catholic University and was awaiting the formal graduation ceremony, was enroute home after work and after earlier attending a job fair. He was wearing a business suit and carrying two bags, one of which contained his job fair materials.

The group followed Mr. Williams and confronted him at about 11:40 p.m. in the 1000 block of 44th Street NE. Shaheed took the sawed off shotgun and pointed it at Mr. Williams, demanding his property. Mr. Williams resisted, and the two men wrestled over the shotgun in the street. Shaheed regained control of the weapon, pointed it at Mr. Williams, and shot him. The shot went through Mr. Williams’s job fair folder, through his hand, through his chest, and into his heart. He was taken to a hospital, but lifesaving efforts failed, and he died the following day.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Paralegal Specialists Alesha Matthews Yette, Debra Joyner, and Kendra Johnson; Intelligence Analyst Zachary McMenamin, and Litigation Services Specialist Thomas R. Royal. Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah Sines and Michelle Bradford, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan Taylor, who prosecuted the case.

Floyd Neal and Lafeyette Robinson Plead Guilty to Armed Robbery

Imari Williams — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 21:08:07 -0400

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.

Ten days earlier, Neal and Robinson both rejected a similar plea, though Neal told a judge that he had not had enough time to consider the deal at the time.

The guilty pleas come two weeks after former co-defendant DeAndre Shaheed pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed in Williams' death.

Neal also pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a dangerous weapon.

According to the proffer of facts, Neal and Robinson waited with 18-year-old Shaheed outside of the Deanwood Metro station, saw Williams, and decided to rob him. The men knew where Williams lived, and took a shorter route to beat him home, documents say.

Williams was on his way home from a job fair, wearing business suit, listening to an iPod, and carrying two bags, documents say.

Near Williams' house, Shaheed confronted Williams with Neal’s shotgun and demanded his property. Prosecutors say Williams attempted to gain control of the weapon, but Shaheed shot him in the chest during the struggle.

The bullet went through Williams' job fair folder, through his hand, through his chest and into his heart, according to the documents.

Williams was transported to a local hospital, where he died the next day. His job fair papers were recovered in the street of the 500 block of Jay Street.

Neal was found carrying the shotgun used in the murder a few weeks after the incident.

As part of the plea agreement, Neal and Robinson will likely be sentenced to three to seven years in prison for the armed robbery charge with an additional 6 months to 2 years for Neal for the possession of a dangerous weapon charge.

Neal and Robinson both are scheduled for sentencing Oct. 17 at 11 a.m.

Plea documents will be added to this post.

Floyd Neal, Lafeyette Robinson Reject Plea Offer in Akinwole Olu Williams Murder

Megan Arellano — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 15:07:03 -0400

Floyd Neal and Lafeyette Robinson both rejected plea offers Friday in connection with the shooting death of 31-year-old Akinwole Olu Williams, continuing to progress to their August trial date.

Prosecutors offered to drop all other 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, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Bradford said Friday.

The deal required that both men plead guilty or neither would receive the deal.

Neal, 20, is charged with 11 criminal counts, including first-degree murder while armed during an armed robbery and felony murder, in connection with William's death. Robinson faces charges of first-degree murder while armed during an armed robbery, felony murder, attempted armed robbery, conspiracy, and four related weapons charges for William's death.

Prosecutors say Neal and Robinson waited with 18-year-old Deandre Shaheed outside of the Deanwood Metro station, saw Williams, and decided to rob him. The men knew where Williams lived and Shaheed confronted Williams near his home with Neal's shotgun to rob him, according to the prosecutors.

Williams tried to wrest control of the weapon, prosecutors say, but Shaheed shot him in the chest during the tussle. Shaheed pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder while armed for his role Williams' death.

In court Friday, Neal told Judge Jennifer Anderson that he had not had enough time to consider the deal, though prosecutors say the deal expired Monday. While Neal's defense attorney Carol Blume noted that she had explained the terms to her client, Neal interjected, asking, "Why? Why?"

Under the deal, Neal would have faced a sentence of three to seven years in prison for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and six to 24 months for possession of a rifle.

The trial is scheduled to begin August 11.

DeAndre Shaheed Pleads Guilty to Second-Degree Murder

Timothy Ryan — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 18:27:41 -0400

DeAndre Shaheed pleaded guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder while armed for his role in the shooting death of Akinwole Williams.

In exchange, the prosecution agreed to dismiss the more serious charge of first-degree murder, conspiracy, attempted armed robbery and five other related charges. As part of the plea agreement, Shaheed will likely be sentenced to 12 to 24 years in prison for the second-degree murder charge.

The plea comes almost three weeks before Shaheed and his co-defendants Floyd Neal and Lafeyette Robinson were scheduled to stand trial in the case. In court Tuesday, prosecutors did not indicate whether Shaheed will be required to testify against the other men.

According to prosecutors, 18-year-old Shaheed waited outside of the Deanwood Metro station with Neal and Robinson, looking for somebody to rob on March 14, 2013. Williams, who was returning from a job fair, left the train station and started to walk home, followed by Shaheed, Neal and Robinson.

The three men knew where Williams lived, and they cut through a side street to intercept Williams before he could get home, according to the proffer of facts. Once Williams arrived, Shaheed pointed a shotgun at him and said he was going to rob Williams, according to the prosecutors.

Williams struggled with Shaheed, trying to gain control of the weapon, but Shaheed was able to point the gun at Williams and shoot him in the chest, prosecutors said. Williams died at local hospital that night.

Neal was found carrying the shotgun used in the murder a few weeks after the incident. He was arrested after a witness identified him as one of the men with Shaheed that night. Neal still faces charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, felony murder, attempted robbery and seven other weapons charges.

The same witness identified Robinson, leading to his arrest in June. Robinson is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, conspiracy, attempted robbery and four weapons charges.

Shaheed is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 12 at 11 a.m.

Plea documents have been added to this post.

Three Men Indicted in Murder of Akinwole Williams

Ivan Natividad — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 14:38:13 -0500

DeAndre Shaheed, Lafeyette Robinson and Floyd Neal were arraigned Friday on charges of first-degree felony murder while armed, conspiracy, robbery, and other related weapons offenses in connection with the March 2013 shooting death of 31-year-old Akinwole Olu Williams.

The three men pleaded innocent to all charges.

Police found Williams on March 14, 2013 around 11:40 p.m. on the 1000 block of 44th Street Northeast lying on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

More than two months later Shaheed, 18, was arrested and charged in Williams' death. Robinson, 19, and Neal, 20, were arrested several weeks later and charged with felony murder in connection with Williams' death.

Charging documents in the case state that Williams may have been killed in a robbery gone awry.

In charging documents, prosecutors allege that Neal, Robinson and Shaheed set out to rob someone the night of the murder. When they saw Williams walking from the Deanwood Metro Station to his home in the 1000 block of 44th Street Northeast, the three men followed Williams to his house, court documents state.

One witness told police that Shaheed told Robinson and Neal that he was going to rob Williams, documents state.

When Williams attempted to enter his home the suspects approached him. Shaheed pointed a brown sawed-off shotgun at Williams, demanding him to hand over his property, the witness said according to charging documents.

Williams refused and pushed the shotgun away and moved closer to Shaheed. The witness then heard a gunshot, and then saw Williams grab his chest and fall to the ground, documents state.

Other witnesses to the murder told police that Neal and Robinson did not want to rob Williams, but Shaheed said, “What we out here for? I’m going to rob him.”

At a preliminary hearing last June a judge said that although Neal and Robinson did not want to rob Williams they aided and abetted felony murder with their presence at the scene.

The codefendants remain held pending a status hearing on March 21 with Judge Jennifer Anderson.

Update: An indictment document has been added to this post below.

Shaheed Neal Robinson Indictment (PDF)Shaheed Neal Robinson Indictment (Text)

Substantial Probability Found in Akinwole Williams Murder

Penny Ray — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 16:25:17 -0400

Judge Robert Morin found substantial probability Thursday that co-defendants Floyd Neal, Lafeyette Robinson and DeAndre Shaheed each participated in the shooting death of 31-year-old Akinwole Olu Williams.

According to arrest documents in the case, Neal, Robinson and Shaheed set out to rob someone on the evening of March 14 when they saw Williams walking from the Deanwood Metro Station to his home in the 1000 block of 44th Street Northeast.

A witness told police that Neal and Robinson did not want to rob Williams, but Shaheed said, “What we out here for? I’m going to rob him.”

The group then followed Williams to his home where Shaheed pulled out a brown sawed-off shotgun and ordered him to hand over his property. The witness said that after Williams refused and pushed the shotgun away, she heard a gunshot and saw Williams grab his chest and collapse to the ground.

Judge Morin said Thursday that although Neal and Robinson did not want to rob Williams, “they aided and abetted felony murder with their presence” at the scene.

The three co-defendants are scheduled for a felony status conference October 11.

Floyd Neal and Lafeyette Robinson Arrested in Connection with Akinwole Williams Murder

Megan Arellano — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:05:29 -0400

Floyd Neal and Lafeyette Robinson, two alleged accomplices in the March shooting death of Akinwole Olu Williams, have been arrested on charges of felony murder in connection with Williams' death. Neal, 20, was ordered held Tuesday pending a preliminary hearing scheduled June 27. Court documents say that Robinson, 19, was admitted to Howard University Hospital; he is scheduled to be presented before a judge upon his release.

On March 14, police found Williams lying face down on the ground in front of his home in the 1000 block of 44th Street Northeast, suffering from a shotgun wound to the chest.

According to charging documents, a witness told police that on the night of the murder Robinson asked Neal to help him "pull a move," meaning to commit a robbery. Robinson, Neal and the witness then approached DeAndre Shaheed, who was loading ammunition into a shotgun, and the group walked to Deanwood Metro Station, where they plotted a robbery.

The witness said that Shaheed spotted Williams as a potential target, but Robinson and Neal told him that they didn’t want to rob Williams. Charging documents state that Shaheed then said, “What we out here for? I’m going to rob him.”

The group then followed Williams to his home where Shaheed pulled out a brown sawed-off shotgun and ordered him to hand over his property.

Williams pushed the shotgun away, refused the demand, then moved closer to Shaheed. The witness then heard a gunshot and saw Williams grab his chest and collapse to the ground. The group then fled the scene.

Charging documents are below.

A press release from MPD is below:

June 18, 2013

Two Additional Homicide Arrests: 1000 Block of 44th Street, Northeast

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced an arrest in the fatal shooting which occurred in the 1000 block of 44th Street, Northeast.

On Thursday, March 14, 2013, at approximately 11:40 pm, units from the Sixth District responded to the 1000 block of 44th Street, Northeast for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they located an adult male lying on the ground suffering from apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent is identified as 31-year-old Akinwole Olu Williams, of Northeast, Washington, DC.

On June 3, 2013, at approximately 5:30 pm, members of the Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, pursuant to a DC Superior court warrant, arrested an adult male of Northeast, Washington, DC, charging him with First Degree Murder While Armed in connection with the shooting death of Akinwole Olu Williams.

On Monday, June 17, 2013, members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch, pursuant to DC Superior court arrest warrants, arrested 20 year-old Floyd Neal and 19 year-old Lafeyette Robinson, both of Northeast, Washington, DC, charging them with First degree Murder While Armed in connection with the shooting death of Akinwole Olu Williams.

Judge Orders DeAndre Shaheed Held in Connection with Akinwole Williams Murder

Ivan Natividad — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 18:32:00 -0400

Judge Karen Howze found probable cause Tuesday that DeAndre Shaheed participated in the shooting death of 31-year-old Akinwole Olu Williams. Shaheed, 18, has been held pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 27.

According to charging documents in the case, Williams' death may have been the result of a resisted armed robbery.

On the night of March 14 police found Williams lying face down on the ground in front of his home in the 1000 block of 44th Street Northeast, suffering from a shotgun wound to the chest.

According to charging documents, a witness told police that on the night of the murder Shaheed and two other suspects were standing in the 1000 block of 44th Street; Shaheed told the others that he was going to rob Williams, the witness said.

Williams, dressed in a suit and carrying a white bag, attempted to enter his home when the suspects approached him; Shaheed pointed a brown sawed-off shotgun at Williams, demanding him to hand over his property, charging documents say.

Williams refused, pushed the shotgun away and moved closer to Shaheed. The witness then heard a gunshot; Williams grabbed his chest and fell to the ground.

Two other men, Lafeyette Robinson and Floyd Neal, were identified by the witness as Shaheed's accomplices. Charging documents say that Neal was arrested within weeks of the murder for carrying a shotgun matching the description provided by the witness. Court documents do not show that either of them has ever been charged with murder in connection with Williams' death.

Charging documents are below.

DeAndre Shaheed Charging Documents (PDF)DeAndre Shaheed Charging Documents (Text)