Deon Cole Held in Walter Goode Jr's Death

Imari Williams — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 17:55:29 -0500

Deon Edward Cole, 19, was ordered held Tuesday after he was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed for the July 2013 fatal shooting of Walter Goode Jr.

Responding to a report of "man down," police found Goode, 53, behind a building in the 1100 block of First Place Northwest suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Goode was lying on his back against a concrete wall wearing a backpack. He had a $50 dollar bill clutched in his right hand, according to documents. He died on the scene.

Police recovered multiple nine millimeter shell casings and bullet fragments near Goode's body.

On December 17, 2013, Cole was interviewed at a local hospital in reference to Goode's death, according to court documents. He was hospitalized after an assault three days prior.

According to Cole, before midnight, Goode asked him if he wanted to "shoot a game of dice," charging documents say. They went towards the rear of First Place to gamble alone.

Cole told police that he and Goode played for exactly one hour and that he had won two to three hundred dollars from Goode, documents state. He told police that Goode was known to always have large amounts of cash on him.

According to documents, shortly after, Cole then noticed individuals walking by their dice game, causing him to quit and walk away. As he was walking away, he saw a masked man wearing dark clothing approaching them, court documents say. According to Cole, he ran towards M Street Northwest and heard Goode call out, "Oh shit," before he heard four gunshots.

He told police that he had known Goode for two years and that they gambled often.

In an interview with police, a witness said that it was with Cole a few weeks after Goode's murder, documents say. Cole told it he knew Goode from the neighborhood and that Goode would sell drugs, and would always be in possession of large amounts of cash.

According to the witness, Cole and Goode met behind a building for a drug deal, charging documents state. But, Cole told the witness that his plan was to rob Goode.

Cole said when he pulled out a handgun to rob Goode, Goode resisted, the witness recounted.

Cole shot Goode, stood over him, and shot him again and again in the head, according to the witness. Cole told the witness he took Goode's money and left him there.

The witness identified Cole in a single photograph provided by police.

Cole is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 12, 2015, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Russell F. Canan.

A copy of charging documents are embedded below:

Arrest in 2013 Shooting of Walter Goode Jr

Chris Amico — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 20:56:59 -0500

Deon Edward Cole, 19, was arrested Monday on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in the July 2013 death of 53-year-old Walter Goode Jr.

Officers found Goode, 53, lying unconscious 1100 block of First Place Northwest, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

MPD's full press release is below:

Arrest Made in Homicide: 1100 Block of First Place, Northwest

(Washington, DC) – Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in the homicide which occurred in the 1100 block of First Place, Northwest.

On Saturday, July 20, 2013, at approximately 4:20 am, police officers from the First District responded to the rear of the 1100 block of First Place, Northwest for a report of a “man down”. Upon arrival, they observed an adult male in an unconscious state, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded and did not find any signs consistent with life. The decedent remained on the scene and was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia, pending an autopsy.

The decedent has been identified as 53-year-old Walter Goode, Jr, of Southeast, Washington, DC.

On Monday, December 29, 2014, The Fugitive Squad of the Criminal Investigations Division arrested 19-year-old Deon Edward Cole of Northeast, Washington DC, pursuant to a DC Superior Court arrest warrant, charging him with Murder II while Armed in connection to the shooting death of Walter Goode, Jr.

Deon Edward Cole | Homicide Watch DC

Deon Cole Held in Walter Goode Jr's Death

Arrest in 2013 Shooting of Walter Goode Jr