Erik Postell | Homicide Watch DC

Erik Postell Pleads Innocent in Death of Paul Danzo

Kristian Hernandez — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 23:26:39 -0500

Erik Postell, 23, pleaded innocent Thursday to first-degree murder while armed and five other weapon charges in connection to the shooting death of 24-year-old Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo.

Charging documents state that prosecutors believe Danzo was murdered shortly after getting into a fight with Postell inside Balleto night club in Northwest DC.

On March 21, 2013, at approximately 2:50 a.m., police found Danzo in the driver’s seat of a car parked on the 1000 block of 17th Street Northwest, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body and head. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Almost seven months later, Postell was arrested. He was the second suspect held in connection with the case.

Michael Smith, 33, pleaded guilty in Nov. 2013 to fleeing law enforcement, acting as an accessory after the fact to an assault with intent to kill, and one other weapons charge in connection to Danzo’s death. According to police, an anonymous tip claimed that Michael Smith drove Erik Postell from the scene of Danzo's death.

Court documents describe several surveillance videos that captured images of Smith and Postell arriving in a black BMW and parking at the Colonial Parking Garage located near Balleto club, several hours before the murder. The video surveillance footage shows Smith, Postell and two other men entering the Balleto club, documents state.

Nearly three hours later, at 2:30 a.m., video footage captures Danzo and Postell getting into a verbal argument then Postell pushing Danzo in the back, who had already begun walking away. According to charging documents, Danzo then turns around and punches Postell in the face with a closed fist.

Around 2:47 a.m., witnesses heard four gunshots coming from 17th Street, and saw a black male turn and rush toward a black BMW that fled the scene, according to charging documents.

Documents state that a uniformed Secret Service officer patrolling the area heard the gunshots and pursued the black BMW fleeing the scene. During the chase, the black BMW traveled north 15th street Northwest, through a block where a pistol was later recovered.

Ballistic evidence recovered from the scene of the shooting was later matched to the .45 pistol recovered from the 1100 block of 15th street Northwest, which police believe was thrown out from the car as it was being pursued.

During Thursday’s hearing, the government offered Postell a plea agreement to second-degree murder, but Postell’s defense attorney Cary Clennon asked for more time to review it. Postell turned down a plea offer in January. He is scheduled to return to court for a status hearing on March 27.

An indictment has been added to the post below.

Postell, Erik Indictment (PDF)Postell, Erik Indictment (Text)

Michael Smith Pleads Guilty To Charges Connected To Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo Murder

Megan Arellano — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 11:24:44 -0500

Michael Smith pleaded guilty last Wednesday to fleeing law enforcement, acting as an accessory after the fact to an assault with intent to kill, and one other weapons charge in connection with the shooting death of 24-year-old Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo.

On March 21, police found Danzo around 2:50 a.m. in the driver’s seat of a car parked on the 1000 block of 17th Street Northwest. He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body and head, and transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead at 3:19 a.m.

Smith entered his plea in open court last Wednesday. At this time, however, a copy of the plea agreement and a proffer of facts in the case are not publicly available in the court's record system. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Charging documents alleged that Danzo was murdered after getting into a fight at Balleto night club. According to the documents, several hours before the murder, Smith and another man parked at the Colonial Parking Garage near Balleto Night Club.

Those documents stated that video footage showed Smith and his companion get into a verbal argument in the club around 2:30 a.m. on March 21. After the argument, documents say that Danzo punched Smith’s companion in the face and left the club. According to the documents, Smith and the man he arrived with followed Danzo out of the club.

Smith and his companion then headed back to the parking garage to retrieve something from the vehicle, documents say. Video footage shows the two men walk toward the direction where Danzo was, after leaving the parking garage. The documents allege that when the two men were unable to find Danzo, they went back to the parking garage to retrieve the black BMW from valet.

According to the documents, around 2:47 a.m. witnesses heard four gunshots coming from 17th Street, and saw a black male turn and rush toward a black BMW that fled the scene.

In October, Erik Postell was also arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder while armed and held in connection with Danzo's death. Postell is scheduled for a felony status conference with Judge Leibovitz on Jan. 3, 2014.

Smith is expected in court Feb. 28, 2014 for what is scheduled as a status hearing.

Erik Postell Held for Grand Jury Investigation in Nightclub Shooting Death of Paul Tanoh Danzo

Clara Pak — Fri, 08 Nov 2013 16:55:36 -0500

Judge Lynn Leibovitz found substantial probability Friday in the case against Erik Postell.

Postell, 24, is suspected of first-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death of 24-year-old Paul Aime Tanoh-Danzo. On March 21, around 2:50 a.m., police found Danzo in the driver's seat of a car outside of Balletto nightclub in Northwest DC. He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body and head and was later pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Michael Smith, a co-defendant in the case, pleaded guilty Wednesday to fleeing law enforcement, acting as an accessory after the fact to an assault with intent to kill, and one other weapon charge.

Leibovitz said she found the strong testimonies from eyewitnesses and the distinct differences in appearance between 5-foot-10-inch Postell and 6-foot-5-inch Michael Smith to be enough evidence to hold Postell while a grand jury investigates. Because of Smith and Postell's significant difference in height and hairstyle, Leibovitz said it would be difficult for Postell's defense to try to argue Smith was in fact the shooter.

During the preliminary hearing, MPD detective Ray Shields said authorities recovered a Gucci-style belt from Postell's grandmother's home, which appeared to be the same belt Postell was wearing the night of the shooting. According to Shields, a club photographer had taken a photo of Postell and a group of other people posing inside the nightclub, and in the photo, Postell is seen wearing the belt.

Shields said at least six .45 caliber shell casings were recovered from the scene of the shooting, which later matched a .45 pistol recovered from the 1100 block of 15th Street Northwest. Shields believed the handgun was thrown out the car window at 15th Street Northwest when Secret Service was chasing the fleeing black BMW carrying Postell and Smith.

Postell is scheduled for a felony status conference with Judge Leibovitz on Jan. 3.

Erik Postell Held in Connection With Shooting Death of Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo

Megan Arellano — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 21:39:13 -0400

Erik Postell, 23, was presented last Saturday with a charge of first-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death of 24-year-old Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo. Postell is the second suspect to be held in connection with the case. Michael Smith was arrested in connection with Danzo's death in September.

The case against Postell is not listed in court records, however, a spokesman for the US Attorney’s office said Postell was ordered held without bond and would next appear in court on October 22 at 9:30 a.m. in front of Judge Lynn Leibovitz.

On March 21, police found Danzo around 2:50 a.m. in the driver’s seat of a car parked on the 1000 block of 17th Street Northwest. He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body and head, and transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead at 3:19 a.m..

Charging documents state that Danzo was murdered after getting into a fight at a night club.

According to court documents, several hours before the murder, surveillance video captured Smith and Postell arrive in a black BMW and park at the Colonial Parking Garage located near the Balleto Club. Video footage from 11:45 p.m. shows Smith, Postell and two other men entering the Balleto Club, documents state.

Nearly three hours later, at 2:30 a.m., video footage also captures Danzo and Postell getting into a verbal argument in the club, according to the documents. Charging documents say that though Danzo first turned to walk away, he turned and punched Postell in the face before leaving the club. Charging documents state that Postell exited shortly after, to run after Danzo.

Around 2:47 a.m., witnesses heard four gunshots coming from 17th Street, and saw a black male turn and rush toward a black BMW that fled the scene, according to the documents.

Documents state that an MPD officer in the area pursued the black BMW fleeing the scene. During the chase, the black BMW traveled north 15th street Northwest, through a block where a pistol was later recovered. Ballistic evidence recovered from the scene of the shooting was later matched to the .45 pistol recovered from the 1100 block of 15th street Northwest.

Charging documents have been added to this post.

Postell, Erik Charging Papers (PDF)Postell, Erik Charging Papers (Text)

Second Arrest in DC Nightclub Shooting Death of Paul Aime Danzo

Laura Amico — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 20:11:26 -0400

A 24-year-old Southeast DC man has been arrested in connection with a March shooting outside a DC nightclub that left one man dead.

Erik Postell was arrested Friday on suspicion of first-degree murder while armed in connection with the death of Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo, MPD said Friday evening.

Danzo was found by police on March 21 around 2:50 a.m. seated in the driver’s seat of a car parked on the 1000 block of 17th Street Northwest. He was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the body and head, and transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Postell is the second person arrested in connection with this case. Michael Smith, 33, was arraigned last month on charges of first-degree murder while armed. The charges were part of a case that initially charged Smith as being an accessory to Danzo’s murder.

Charging documents state that Danzo was killedafter getting into a fight at Balleto Club. Surveillence cameras captured images of two men police believed were connected to the shooting and a black BMW they were driving.

The footage shows two men exit the vehicle, one from the passenger side door wearing a baseball hat with a grey hoodie pulled up over it, and another black male exiting the driver’s side door with shoulder length dreadlocks, and a knit cap on his head, court documents state.

A press release from MPD about the arrest is below.

October 11, 2013

Additional Arrest Made in Homicide: 1000 Block of 17th Street, NW

(Washington, DC)- The Metropolitan Police Department has announced an additional arrest in the homicide which occurred in the 1000 block of 17th Street, NW.

On Thursday, March 21, 2013, at approximately 2:39 am, units from the Second District responded to the 1000 block of 17th Street, NW, for the report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they located an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds while sitting inside of his vehicle. Personnel from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to a local hospital where he was admitted in critical condition. The victim later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent in this case is identified as 24-year-old Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo of Laurel, Maryland.

On Thursday, September 19, 2013, an adult male was arrested and charged with Murder One, Conspiracy, and additional related charges in connection with the shooting death of Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo.

On Friday, October 11, 2013, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force located and arrested 24-year-old Erik Postell of Southeast, Washington, DC, charging him with First Degree Murder while Armed in connection with the shooting death of Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo.