Dennis Washington | Homicide Watch DC

Second-Degree Murder Charge Against Dennis Washington Dismissed

Megan Arellano — Wed, 28 Aug 2013 18:49:19 -0400

A DC man suspected of beating a man to death in his Northeast DC home has been released from jail and the charge against him dropped.

The case against Dennis Washington was dismissed in court Tuesday and an order for his release from jail was signed that same day. He had faced a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the beating death of Thomas Lipscomb in April 2011. Lipscomb was found dead on April 26, lying on the floor of his apartment, partially decomposed.

The US Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the dismissal, but said that the investigation “is continuing.”

Prosecutors alleged that Washington and another man, Christopher Fletcher, went to Lipscomb’s home to rob him of his television. Fletcher was shot and killed in May 2011 during an unrelated incident. Before his death, Fletcher told detectives that he and Washington went to Lipscomb’s apartment to collect a debt owed to Washington. Charging documents in the case say Fletcher later saw Washington crossing Minnesota Avenue carrying Lipscomb’s television.

According to charging documents, Lipscomb was seen alive a week before police found his body. On the night he was seen alive, one witness heard what sounded like a fight inside Lipscomb’s apartment. Another witness reported hearing multiple people beating someone inside Lipscomb’s apartment sometime in the month before police discovered his body.

Dismissal documents are included below this post.

Dennis Washington Held in Beating Death of Thomas Lipscomb

Penny Ray — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:39:28 -0500

Dennis Washington was ordered held today after Judge William Jackson found probable cause in the case against him. Washington is accused of beating Thomas Lipscomb to death in April 2011.

At the preliminary hearing Tuesday, defense attorney Jenifer Wicks argued that there was no clear determination of when Washington assaulted Lipscomb nor if the assault was related to his death. She further argued that the witness statements made by Christopher Fletcher were "self-serving."

Fetcher, who was shot and killed in May 2011 during an unrelated incident, originally told detectives that he had accompanied Washington to Lipscomb's apartment to collect a debt owed to Washington. But after Washington began assaulting Lipscomb, Fletcher walked away. Fletcher later saw Washington crossing Minnesota Avenue carrying Lipscomb's television, according to charging documents in the case.

Detective King Watts of the Metropolitan Homicide Branch testified Tuesday that Fletcher's story changed several times over the course of the investigation, and that Fletcher admitted to assaulting Lipscomb first, before Washington.

Watts further testified that the medical examiner in the case could not pinpoint exactly when Lipscomb died.

“Even if what Fletcher said is true, we don't know that that was the assault that led to Lipscomb's death,” said Wicks.

According to charging documents, one witness last saw Lipscomb alive a week prior to the day police found his body, and on that night heard what sounded like a fight inside Lipscomb's apartment. Another witness reported hearing multiple people beating someone inside Lipscomb's apartment sometime in the month before police discovered his body.

Lipscomb was found dead April 26, 2011, lying on the floor of his apartment in full rigor mortis--a stiffening of the corpse that occurs about 12 hours from death--and partially decomposed.

Judge Jackson argued that there was sufficient evidence showing probable cause in the case, citing the fact that detectives recovered a television from Washington's home, which Washington originally claimed he purchased from Best Buy. However, the receipt Washington gave detectives to show proof of purchase did not match the television in his residence.

Additionally, Lipscomb's fingerprint was recovered from the bottom right side of the television set.

A partial cigarette was also recovered from Lipscomb's blood-smeared kitchen floor. A DNA analysis later determined that Washington was the source of the DNA.

Washington is scheduled for a felony status hearing in April 2013. He is currently serving a sentence for violating parole following a September 2011 conviction on charges of misdemeanor domestic violence.

Thomas Lipscomb Killed For His Television, Prosecutors Allege

Penny Ray — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 23:14:42 -0500

Judge Karen Howze found "substantial probability" Thursday afternoon that Dennis Washington murdered Thomas Lipscomb in April 2011.

Prosecutors say Washington and another man, Christopher Fletcher, went to Lipscomb's home -- either to purchase marijuana or to collect on a debt, depending on witness accounts -- but Washington decided to rob him of his television instead, and then ended up killing Lipscomb.

Washington, wearing black-rimmed glasses and a light brown bandage on his right forearm, wrist and hand, was ordered held Thursday. Howze ruled that his release would be too dangerous.

According to charging documents, at around 11 a.m. on April 26, 2011, Metropolitan Police Department officers were dispatched to the 3000 block of Minnesota Avenue to investigate a foul odor coming from an apartment.

Officers knocked on the door repeatedly, but there was no answer. A witness with a key unlocked the door, but a chain lock prevented the door from opening fully. Through the doorway, police officers observed a body lying on the floor, and the witness forced the door open, the documents state.

Lipscomb's body lay face up and the nearby kitchen floor was covered with blood, prosecutors say. His body had reached full rigor mortis -- a stiffening of the corpse that occurs about 12 hours from death -- and was partially decomposed. The bathroom tub was half full of bloody water, according to charging documents.

An autopsy later ruled the cause of death to be blunt force trauma to the head.

Lipscomb had 26 lacerations to his head and eight rectangular-shaped fractures to his skull. There were also multiple lacerations to his neck, back and upper extremities, as well as fractures to his left forearm, left leg and ribs, charging documents say.

Fletcher eventually told detectives he'd been in the apartment with Washington and Lipsomb, but that he walked away when Washington began assaulting Lipscomb because "he wasn't with that." Fletcher later saw Washington crossing Minnesota Avenue with Lipscomb's television, the documents say.

When Fletcher confronted Washington the next day, documents say, he saw the Lipscomb's flatscreen TV in Washington's apartment. "You took the old man's TV?" Fletcher asked. "Yeah I took it," Washington replied.

On May 25, 2011, Fletcher was shot and killed at a cookout in Southeast D.C. John Bolton was arrested for Fletcher's murder and is awaiting trial.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for December 11.

Charging documents are below:

MPD Arrests Three in Unrelated Homicides

Penny Ray — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:10:23 -0500

Metropolitan Police announced the arrests of three suspects in unrelated homicides today.

Steven Vondell Williams, 46, was arrested in connection with the shooting death of June Grace Lim.
Dennis Washington, 42, was arrested in connection with the death of Thomas Glenn Lipscomb.
David Tyrone Robinson, 20, is suspected of shooting and killing Howard Ricardo Sampler, though he has not yet been presented with a murder charge.

Lim was found dead inside the Grace Deli, which she owned, in June. Police believe robbery was the motive behind her death. Williams was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed.

Lipscomb was found unconscious in a residence in the 3400 block of Minnesota Ave. N.E. in April 2011. He was later pronounced dead as a result of blunt force trauma. Washington is charged with second-degree murder, according to police.

Police found Sampler in the 1500 block of 45th Street N.E. suffering from multiple gunshot wounds this past January. He was transported to a hospital where he later died.

A police press release says Robinson is charged with second-degree murder while armed. Bill Miller, spokesman for the US Attorney's Office, said Robinson is being held on a weapons charge while the homicide investigation continues. A copy of that charge is below:

MPD is holding a press conference at 5:20 p.m. today to speak on these arrests.

The MPD press release is below:

Arrests Made in Three Unrelated Homicides

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that arrests have been made in the three unrelated homicides.

Arrest in the Homicide of Hae Soon Lim in 700 Block of H Street, NE

On Thursday, June 14, 2012, at approximately 6:15 am, a First District officer was flagged down by a citizen who notified him of an unconscious person in the 700 block of H Street, NE. The officer located an adult female, inside a business establishment, suffering from what was later determined to be a gunshot wound. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded and did not find any signs consistent with life. The victim was pronounced dead by a member of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The decedent has been identified as 64-year-old Hae Soon Lim of Rockville, MD.

On Wednesday, November 28, 2012, 46-year-old Steven Vondell Williams of Northwest, Washington, DC, was arrested and charged with Murder Two while Armed in the shooting death of Hae Soon Lim.

Arrest Made in the Homicide of Howard Ricardo Sampler in the 1500 block of 45th Street, NE

On Tuesday, January 3, 2012, at approximately 5:55 pm units from the Sixth District responded to a call for a shooting in the 1500 block of 45th Street, Northeast. Upon arrival, they located the victim, an adult male, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital. The victim later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent is identified as 21-year-old Howard Ricardo Sampler of Southeast, Washington DC.

On Tuesday, November 27, 2012, 20 year-old David Tyrone Robinson of Northeast, DC, was arrested and charged with Murder Two while Armed for the homicide of Howard Ricardo Sampler.

Arrest Made in the Homicide of Thomas Glenn Lipscomb in the 3400 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE

On Tuesday, April 26, 2011, at approximately 12:00 pm, units from the Sixth District responded to a residence in the 3400 block of Minnesota Avenue, SE. Upon their arrival they discovered an adult male unconscious and unresponsive. A member of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner pronounced the victim dead.

On Wednesday, April 27, 2011, an autopsy was conducted by a member of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia who ruled the death a homicide as a result of blunt force trauma.

The decedent has been identified as 49 year-old Thomas Glenn Lipscomb of Southeast, Washington, DC.

On Wednesday, November 28, 2012, detectives from the Homicide Branch arrested 42 year-old Dennis Washington of Southeast, Washington, DC, charging him with Second Degree Murder in the homicide of Thomas Glenn Lipscomb.