Johnnie Sweet | Homicide Watch DC

"I was wrong," Johnnie Sweet Says at Sentencing for Latisha Frazier Death

Penny Ray — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 14:42:47 -0400

Before Latisha Frazier was killed, she and the defendants charged with her death were friends. They hung out, and she brought them McDonald's. But that was before Frazier was kidnapped. Punched. Stomped. Taped up. Gagged. Choked. And killed.

On Thursday, one of those friends, Johnnie Sweet, was sentenced for his role in the attack. His punishment: 52 years in prison.

“I'm not gonna sugarcoat it; I'm not gonna lie,” Sweet said Thursday at his sentencing hearing. “I was wrong."

"The reason I didn't cry at trial is because I knew I was gonna lose," he said. "I went to trial to prove I didn't do certain things. I apologize to the Frazier family and I apologize to my family. Hopefully one day y'all will forgive me. But if you don't, I understand.”

Three others were sentenced for their roles in the attack earlier this year: Laurence Hassan received an 18-year prison sentence; Cinthya Proctor, 21 years; and Brian Gaither, 32 years.

Sweet, 19, was the only one of the defendants to stand trial. He was convicted in April of first-degree premeditated murder, first-degree felony murder, kidnapping and evidence tampering in connection with Frazier's August 2010 beating death. Frazier was 18-years-old at the time she died. Her body has never been found.

At trial, Lanee Bell, who pleaded guilty to kidnapping Frazier, testified that Frazier’s beating was instigated and orchestrated by Sweet after he discovered $900 missing from his room.

Sweet told detectives that he suspected Frazier as the thief because “she was the only one in the room” moments before he realized the money was taken. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Kavanaugh said Thursday that other than claims that Frazier was in the room, there is no evidence she ever took the money.

Bell testified that on August 2, 2010, Sweet convinced her, Gaither and others to join him in attacking Frazier in the corner of a small bedroom in Sweet’s home. Frazier was beaten, stomped, taped, gagged and choked, before being tossed in a closet and left to die.

“What truly sets this case apart is the brutality and cruelty that was inflicted on Latisha Frazier,” Kavanaugh told the court. “This [killing] was prolonged. Everyone had the opportunity to say no.”

Later, Gaither and Antoine McCullough dragged Frazier's body to a dumpster in the 1700 block of Trenton Place Southeast. Prosecutors believe it's now in Shoosmith Landfill in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

Judge Canan said Thursday the disposal of Frazier's body was “completely inhumane and lacks any human compassion.”

“You wanted it, you initiated it and you left her in your closet to die,” Canan said. “There was such a degree of cruelty and depravity that you should be held accountable.”

Members of Frazier's family attended Sweet's sentencing Thursday. They have attended every court hearing in connection with Frazier's death. Barry Campbell, Frazier's biological father, addressed the court.

“Mr. Sweet, for what you put our family through, I will eventually forgive. But right now, it's hard to do so.”

Sentencing documents and a press release from the United States Attorney's Office are below.

District Man Sentenced to 52 Years in Prison For First-Degree Felony Murder and Other Charges
In Killing of 18-Year-Old Latisha Frazier Defendant Among Seven People Convicted in Case

WASHINGTON – Johnnie Sweet, 19, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 52 years in prison for first-degree felony murder and other charges in the August 2010 kidnapping and slaying of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Sweet was found guilty by a jury in April 2013, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of first-degree felony murder with aggravating circumstances; first-degree premeditated murder with aggravating circumstances; kidnapping, and tampering with physical evidence. He was sentenced by the Honorable Russell F. Canan.

According to the government’s evidence, Sweet was one of the leaders of a group of six young men and women who took part in the murder of Ms. Frazier.

Ms. Frazier vanished on Aug. 2, 2010. For months, her family relentlessly sought to find her, passing out flyers and contacting local news stations to publicize her disappearance. In late January 2011, one witness finally stepped forward and contacted the Metropolitan Police Department, revealing the truth of Ms. Frazier’s whereabouts.

On the day of her disappearance, the government’s evidence showed, Ms. Frazier had been brutally murdered by a group of six young men and women (ages 16 to 23), all of whom she believed to be her friends. The group had suspected - with little evidence - that Ms. Frazier had stolen about $900 from Sweet. Sweet recruited others and exacted a plan of revenge in which they would call her over to an apartment where they claimed to be socializing.

When Ms. Frazier arrived at the apartment in the 1700 block of Trenton Place SE, the group took her to a small bedroom where Sweet and others punched, kicked, and stomped her all over her body. Ignoring her pleas for them to stop, they bound her in duct tape, taped a pillowcase over her head so she could not scream, and shoved her in a small, dark closet. When she screamed and moaned, one of the members of the group placed her in a sleeper hold to “put her to sleep.” Later, the group discovered that she had died.

To dispose of the body, Sweet helped carry her to the bathtub, where he and his friends attempted to dismember her. That evening, Ms. Frazier’s body was thrown into a dumpster, and it is now believed to be somewhere in one or two landfills in rural Virginia.

Of a total of seven people charged with various offenses, six former co-defendants have pled guilty. They include Brian Gaither, 25, who has been sentenced to a 32-year prison term after pleading guilty to first-degree murder; Laurence Kamal Hassan, 24, who has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for second-degree murder and kidnapping; Cinthya Proctor, 21, who has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for second-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to commit evidence tampering; Anneka Nelson, 19, who pled guilty to second-degree murder and kidnapping; Lanee Bell, 20, who pled guilty to kidnapping, and Antoine McCullough, 27, who pled guilty to conspiracy to commit evidence tampering. Bell, Nelson and McCullough are awaiting sentencing.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Chief Lanier praised the work of those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), including detectives from the Major Case/Cold Case Squad and the Seventh District.

They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Larry Grasso of the Criminal Intelligence Unit, Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, and Paralegal Specialists Kwasi Fields, Phaylyn Hunt, and Angela Lawrence. Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Melinda Williams, who prosecuted the case.

Jury Convicts Johnnie Sweet of First-Degree Murder, Kidnapping in Latisha Frazier Death

Sam Pearson — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:22:19 -0400

Johnnie Sweet turned down a government plea offer he found less than favorable because he said he didn't play the lead role in Latisha Frazier's brutal 2010 death.

A jury, however, disagreed.

After deliberating for about five hours, the jury found Sweet guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, first-degree premeditated murder and tampering with physical evidence after about five hours of deliberation. Both of the murder charges carry enhancements for "especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel" homicides.

Sweet argued that his co-defendant, Brian Gaither, was the "ringleader" on Aug. 2, 2010, when Frazier was killed at Sweet's home in a brutal beating. Sweet, Gaither, Cinthya Proctor, Lanee Bell, Laurence Hassan and Anneka Nelson attacked Frazier because Sweet believed Frazier had stolen $900 from him, prosecutors argued.

Gaither pleaded guilty last year to first-degree murder. He later tried and failed to withdraw the guilty plea; he was sentenced April 9 to 32 years in prison. Sweet's conviction at trial makes it likely he will face a sentence greater than Gaither's.

Proctor, Hassan, Bell and Nelson have all accepted plea agreements with prosecutors.

Sweet's case, the only one of the six to go to trial, featured days of testimony about Frazier's death, some of it graphic.

Neither Sweet nor Gaither testified at the trial, but jurors heard testimony from one of the young women connected to the case.

Bell, who pleaded guilty to kidnapping Frazier, testified that Frazier’s beating was instigated and orchestrated by Sweet after he discovered $900 missing from his personal belongings.

Sweet told detectives that he suspected Frazier as the thief because "she was the only one in the room" moments before he realized the money was taken.

Bell said that on Aug. 2, 2010, Sweet convinced her, Gaither, and the others to join him in beating and stomping Frazier in the corner of a small bedroom in Sweet’s home.

A few minutes later Sweet went to the front door and returned to the bedroom with his arm around Frazier's neck as if they were friends, Bell said. Still dressed in her McDonald’s uniform, Frazier sat in a chair and then Sweet closed the bedroom door and said, "Ain't nobody about to leave."

Frazier was then hit, stomped, kicked, choked, gagged, tied up, and left for dead. Days later, Frazier’s body was taken to a dumpster. She was never found.

Prosecutors think Frazier's body was taken to the Shoosmith Landfill in Chesterfield County, Virginia, but investigators have not been able to locate it.

"I didn't know this was going to happen," Bell testified. "It was like a peer pressure thing."

Judge Canan is scheduled to sentence Sweet July 11 at 9:30 a.m.

Jury Deliberations Begin in Murder Trial Against Johnnie Sweet

Penny Ray — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:44:58 -0400

By the prosecutor's estimation, the death of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier is not a "who done it."

“By the defendant's own words, he is guilty, guilty, guilty,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda Williams said in closing arguments Monday.

That defendant, Johnnie Sweet, is accused of taking part in a brutal "peer pressure" fueled beating. A beating in which Frazier was hit, stomped, kicked, choked, gagged, tied up, and left for dead. Days later, Frazier's body was taken to a dumpster. She was never found.

In closing arguments, James Rudasill Jr., Sweet's defense attorney, argued that although the beating took place in Sweet's home, Sweet was not the ring leader of the group that conducted the beating.

Rudasill argued that Brian Gaither, who pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in November in connection with the case, administered a fatal chokehold. That chokehold makes Gaither more culpable, Rudasill argued, adding that Sweet intended to “beat Frazier and then put her out of the apartment.”

Sweet is charged with felony murder, first-degree premeditated murder, kidnapping and evidence tampering in connection with the August 2010 brutal beating death of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier. Several other youths have already pled guilty to assisting Sweet in the beating. Frazier's body, though, was never recovered.

The week-long trial came to an end Monday afternoon and jurors were sent to begin deliberations at about 4:30 p.m.

Though neither Sweet nor Gaither testified at the trial, jurors heard testimony from one of the young women connected to the case. Lanee Bell, who pleaded guilty to kidnapping Frazier, testified that Frazier's beating was instigated and orchestrated by Sweet after he discovered $900 missing from his personal belongings.

Sweet told detectives that he suspected Frazier as the thief because “she was the only one in the room” moments before he realized the money was taken.

Bell said that on August 2, 2010, Sweet convinced her, Gaither, and others to join him in beating and stomping Frazier in the corner of a small bedroom in Sweet's home.

A few minutes later Sweet went to the front door and returned to the bedroom with his arm around Frazier’s neck as if they were friends, Bell said. Still dressed in her McDonald’s uniform, Frazier sat in a chair and then Sweet closed the bedroom door and said, “Ain’t nobody about to leave.”

“I didn’t know this was going to happen,” Bell testified. “It was like a peer pressure thing.”

Said prosecutor Melinda Williams, “Latisha Frazier was betrayed by people she considered friends.”

“And she was shown no mercy.”

Sweet, Cinthya Proctor and Brian Gaither later attempted to dismember Frazier's body, but failed. The body was then tossed into a dumpster in the 1700 block of Trenton Place Southeast by Gaither and Antoine McCullough, McCullough testified.

Ronald Olive, an expert in landfill excavation, testified that he “tracked the trash” from Trenton Place SE to the Shoosmith Landfill in Chesterfield County, Virginia, where he believes that Frazier's body is now located.

Olive said that between August 2010 and February 2011 the landfill had grown 100 feet deep, making it “extremely dangerous” to attempt to uncover Frazier's body. Moreover, MPD would have had to relocate 30-40 police officers to Chesterfield County to oversee the excavation; and methane pipes buried within the search area posed an “extremely high risk” of explosion, Olive said.

“The odds are not in their favor of going into a landfill and finding a body,” Olive told the court. “Landfills are not meant to be excavated.”

Crime Scene Investigators with the Metropolitan Police Department used a skill saw to remove a piece of wood flooring from right behind the bedroom door where Bell testified Sweet had stomped Frazier. Andrea Borchardt-Gardner, a forensic DNA analyst, testified that she “cracked open” a portion of the floor board and found human blood, which was then processed to obtain a DNA profile.

Cheek swabs were also taken from both Caroline Frazier and Barry Campbell, Frazier's biological parents, and a reverse paternity comparison was conducted.

Dr. Robert Bever determined that the DNA profile from the wood floor was 50.6 billion times more likely to belong to the female child of Caroline and Barry than to unrelated individuals of African American descent, according to a stipulation read at trial.

James Rudasill Jr., Sweet's defense attorney, said that Sweet abandoned the plan to “beat Frazier and then put her out of the apartment,” because he was afraid of Gaither.

In a police interrogation video viewed at trial, Sweet admits to detectives that he punched and "stomped" Frazier, but says that Gaither placed Frazier in a choke hold because "she was in the closet making noises." Sweet also said that Gaither told him to keep quiet, or he was going to "beat the s— out of him."

Tawanna Westry, a transportation officer with the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, testified that on February 3, 2011, when Sweet was first brought into custody, she overheard him and another cellmate having a conversation:

“What are you in for?” the cellmate asked.

“They're trying to give me a body,” Sweet responded.

“Don't go out like that.”

“I'm not copping to that s—. I'm taking it to trial. At least I didn't shoot the b—; I did it with my bare hands,” Sweet said.

Jury deliberations will resume Tuesday morning.

Johnnie Sweet's Attorney Advises Client to Accept Plea Offer in Latisha Frazier Murder

Penny Ray — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:18:11 -0400

As the second day of testimony began Wednesday, Johnnie Sweet rejected yet another plea overture from the government, saying that he would not agree to any deal that would require him to spend more time in prison than the man he says is most culpable for Latisha Frazier's death- Brian Gaither.

Before the jury was escorted into the courtroom Wednesday, Sweet's defense attorney, James Rudasill Jr., stated in open court that he spoke with Sweet until around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday evening in an attempt to convince him to accept the government's plea offer.

“It is my professional assessment of this case that accepting the government's plea offer is in his best interest,” Rudasill said.

Sweet is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping and evidence tampering in connection with the August 2010 beating death of Latisha Frazier; several co-defendants in the case have already pled guilty to murder and kidnapping. Frazier's body was never found.

The plea discussions marked the second time in as many days that trial proceedings were halted so that Sweet could state his desire to continue with the trial.

Rudasill said Wednesday that Sweet had reservations about accepting the plea because he believes that Gaither is more culpable for the murder than he is. Sweet would not agree to a plea deal requiring him to serve more time in prison than Gaither, Rudasill said. Gaither pled guilty in the case and was sentenced to 32 years in prison.

Before resuming trial, Judge Russell Canan expressed concern over the “back and forth” decisions about whether to plea or go to trial. He then asked Sweet if he wished to enter a guilty plea.

After a long pause, Sweet scratched his chin and said, “No.”

Latisha Frazier's mother, Caroline Frazier, testified Wednesday that the last day she saw her daughter was on August 1, 2010, when the family went to a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant. The next day she tried calling and sending text messages to Frazier, but there was no response. On Aug. 4, she reported Frazier missing to police.

Caroline Frazier said that from the time she realized her daughter was missing until the first suspect arrest in 2011 she handed out missing persons fliers in the neighborhood where people had last seen Latisha. One day, she saw Sweet walking in the area and she gave him a flier and asked if he had seen her daughter. Sweet said, “Nah,” and then walked away, Caroline Frazier said.

A different witness testified that in mid-August, while sitting on her porch late at night, she saw Sweet “pulling down the fliers” that Caroline Frazier had posted around the neighborhood. The witness said that Sweet “balled them up, and threw them in the trash.” The next day, Caroline Frazier put the fliers back up again; later that night, the witness saw Sweet rip them back down.

Antoine McCullough, the man who pled guilty to assisting Gaither in disposing of Frazier's body, testified Wednesday that in early August 2010 Gaither knocked on his front door and asked to speak in private. McCullough said that they spoke in the bathroom where Gaither asked if he would help remove a body from Sweet's home.

“He said he wanted to take it to the dumpster,” McCullough told the court.

McCullough said that when he arrived at Sweet's home there was a gray bin near the bathroom that contained a black plastic bag and was covered by a blanket. The bin weighed about 150 lbs, he said. McCullough testified that he never looked in the black bag, but he helped Gaither drag the bin to a dumpster in the 1700 block of Trenton Place Southeast.

"We took the entire bin and threw it over the top of the dumpster," McCullough told the court.

He later realized that the body may have been Frazier's after seeing news reports and missing person fliers. McCullough said that he never told anyone until he called detectives in early April 2011.

McCullough said that after speaking with police without an attorney, he agreed to testify in front of the grand jury and pled guilty to conspiracy tampering with physical evidence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Kavanaugh asked McCullough Wednesday why he decided to speak with police without an attorney.

"It doesn't take a lawyer to tell the truth," McCullough said.

Michael Cummings, an educator with the incarcerated youth program, testified that he taught Social Studies at the D.C. jail in May 2011 while Sweet was in custody. Cummings testified that Sweet was his student for a month, and one day Sweet asked, "If a crime was committed in D.C. and a body was found in Virginia, who would have jurisdiction?"

Cummings said that he responded, "I'll get back to you," and then emailed the MPD tip line.

The trial is scheduled to resume Thursday morning in Judge Canan's courtroom.

Beating Death of Latisha Frazier was 'Like a Peer Pressure Thing,' Witness Testifies

Penny Ray — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:06:17 -0400

What can be described as the final chapter in the story of Latisha Frazier's death began Tuesday morning with the start of defendant Johnnie Sweet's murder trial.

Sweet, 19, is charged with taking part in Frazier's death- a killing that, as one teen described at trial Tuesday, was fueled by peer pressure. Six young people are belived to have taken part, but Sweet is the only one as yet to have his culpability weighed by a jury. Four young people have pleaded guilty to charges connected with the case, including murder and kidnapping. Charges for a fifth are listed in court records as "pending grand jury."

Prosecutors believe the trial will last longer than a week, and will include details of how Sweet and his accomplices beat, taped, gagged and choked eighteen-year-old Frazier until she died in a closet on Aug. 2, 2010. The trial will not include any evidence from medical examiners or the autopsy reports common to most murder trials; Frazier's body was never found.

It was Sweet's house, prosecutors argued Tuesday that Frazier disappeared from.

At that time, Sweet's mother was hospitalized and he used the house as a "party house," prosecutor Chris Kavanaugh told jurors in opening statements. He said Sweet's friends would often visit for "sex, drinking and video games."

Lanee Bell, who pleaded guilty to kidnapping in connection with the case, testified Tuesday that around 3 p.m. on the day of Frazier's beating Sweet knocked on her front door and told her to come over to his house where “everyone was chillin' and listening to music.”

On the stand, Bell said that she waited about 15 minutes before going over to Sweet's house, and when she got there the other co-defendants were all waiting in a back bedroom.

Bell said that after a few minutes in the bedroom Sweet told her that he wanted her to beat up a girl who had stolen a “stack” of money from him. Bell testified that she didn't take Sweet's request seriously at first, and he never told her the name of the alleged thief.

A few minutes later Sweet went to the front door and returned to the bedroom with his arm around Frazier's neck as if they were friends, Bell said. Still dressed in her McDonald's uniform, Frazier sat in a chair and then Sweet closed the bedroom door and said, “Ain't nobody about to leave.”

Aneka Nelson then threw the first punch, Bell told the court.

Bell said that Frazier looked surprised and asked, “What is going on?”

No one answered; Nelson just kept punching. Then, Proctor joined the beating.

Nelson and Proctor continued throwing punches, while Frazier stood in the corner covering her face with her arms, Bell said. Then Sweet urged Bell to join in.

“I didn't know this was going to happen,” Bell testified. “It was like a peer pressure thing.”

Bell said that after a few minutes of punching Frazier she pushed the other two women away and told them to stop because Frazier had done nothing to them and she was not defending herself. Bell testified that Sweet then hit Frazier “too many times to count.”

“He beat her to the floor and then started stomping on her as if he was crushing a soda can,” Bell testified.

A few minutes later Gaither said, “It's my turn,” and he too began stomping on Frazier, Bell said.

Bell said that Sweet then went to the bathroom and retrieved a set of brass knuckles with an extended knife and said, “I'ma kill this b—.”

As Bell was leaving the house, she heard Sweet say, “I need something to tie this b— up with," she said.

Later that evening, Bell briefly went back to Sweet's home but she didn't ask what happened to Frazier.

"I didn't want to know,” she told jurors.

Sweet is charged with first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping and evidence tampering in connection with Frazier's death; he was arrested Feb. 1, 2011.

Sweet's defense attorney, James Rudasill Jr., argued that although the beating took place in Sweet's home, and it was Sweet's money that she allegedly stole, Sweet was not the ring-leader of the attack against Frazier.

The trial is scheduled to resume Wednesday morning in Judge Russell Canan's courtroom.

Men Accused in Latisha Frazier Murder to be Tried Separately; Mental Exam Ordered for One of Them

Laura Amico — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 11:27:52 -0400

Two men accused in the murder of Latisha Frazier will be tried separately, after Judge William Jackson agreed to sever their cases yesterday.

Johnnie Sweets and Brian Gaither are charged with first-degree murder in connection with Frazier's death. They are also charged with felony murder and “aggravating circumstances.” Those circumstances are that Frazier’s death was “especially heinous, atrocious, and cruel” and that it was also “committed during the course of a kidnapping.”

Police and prosecutors believe that Frazier was the victim of a brutal attack by six people. According to court documents, the 18-year-old was beaten, stomped, bound, taped, gagged, prodded and choked. Her head was covered with a sheet. Tossed into a closet, she finally died. Her body was thrown into a dumpster and hasn’t been found, though it’s believed to be in a landfill.

Gaither's defense attorney, Eugene Ohm, asked the court to sever the case in January. In the motion, Gaither claimed that if his case were to remain joined with Sweets', Sweets' statement to police would prejudice the case against Gaither and that Sweets would be acting as a “second prosecutor” to Gaither.

The motion to sever stated:

According to government discovery, it alleges that Mr. Sweet believed that Ms. Frazier stole money from him in the summer of 2010. Mr. Sweet, the government alleges, devised a plan to lure Ms. Frazier to his apartment so that they could physically punish her. Mr. Sweet devised this plan with his brother Laurence Hassan and some of his friends, Mdmes. Proctor, Nelson and Bell. The government contends that Ms. Frazier came to the apartment at Mr. Sweet’s invitation and that the five individuals, along with Brian Gaither, assaulted her. The government asserts that at some point, Ms. Frazier lost consciousness and was gagged. The government believes that Ms. Frazier died from the restraints or from a chokehold prior to restraint.

Mr. Sweet and Mr. Gaither both made statements to Metropolitan Police Detectives. Mr. Sweet’s statement involves Mr. Gaither’s and alletes that Mr. Gaither was present and actively participating in all of the aspects of this crime.

The information available to undersigned counsel indicates that Mr. Sweet’s defense will attempt to exonerate him by pointing an accusing finger at Mr. Gaither. Because Mr. Sweet’s defense will attempt to portray Mr. Gaither as the primary actor in this incident, a substantial danger exists that the evidence and arguments presented by Mr. Sweet would provide the basis of the jury’s conviction of Mr. Gaither.

Prosecutors had opposed the severance, but last week changed their position and filed notice with the court that they were prepared to proceed with separate trials for the men.

On Thursday, Judge Jackson ordered a mental health screening for Sweets. The results of that screening are due in court Friday afternoon.

Both men remained scheduled for status hearings on July 26 and trials on Nov. 19 at this time.

Brian Gaither, Johnnie Sweets Reject Plea Offer in Latisha Frazier Murder Case

Laura Amico — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:03:33 -0400

Brian Gaither and Johnnie Sweets have rejected plea offers from the government that would cap their potential sentences at 38 years for the murder of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier.

The two, now 24 and 18 years old respectively, are charged with first-degree murder in the case. If convicted, Judge William Jackson said, they could be sentenced to "well above" 38 years in prison.

Police and prosecutors believe that Frazier was the victim of a brutal attack by six people. According to court documents, the 18-year-old was beaten, stomped, bound, taped, gagged, prodded and choked. Her head was covered with a sheet. Tossed into a closet, she finally died. Her body was thrown into a dumpster and hasn’t been found, though it’s believed to be in a landfill.

A trial is scheduled for November of this year.

Frazier Case Continued to May

Stephanie Czekalinski — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:01:52 -0500

The cases against Brian Gaither and Johnnie Sweets, man accused of murdering missing woman Latisha Frazier, have been continued.

D.C. Superior Court Judge W. Jackson ordered the case against Brian Gaither continued until May 11.

Gaither and Sweets are charged with second-degree murder in the August 2010 beating death of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier. Frazier's mother reported her missing on Aug. 4, 2010.

Brian Gaither's Attorney Worries Co-Defendant will Prejudice Latisha Frazier Case

Laura Amico — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:57:04 -0500

One of the six young people suspected in the death of missing DC teen Latisha Frazier has filed a motion to sever his case from his codefendants' case.

In the motion, filed Jan. 13, Brian Gaither claims that if his case remains joined with Johnnie Sweet, Sweet's statement to police will prejudice the case against Gaither and that Sweet will be acting as a "second prosecutor" to Gaither.

Authorities believe Frazier was the victim of a brutal attack by six people. According to court documents, the 18-year-old was beaten, stomped, bound, taped, gagged, prodded and choked. Her head was covered with a sheet. Tossed into a closet, she finally died. Her body was thrown into a dumpster and hasn’t been found, though it’s believed to be in a landfill.

Gaither and Sweet are each charged with first degree felony murder, first degree premeditated murder, and “aggravating circumstances.” Those circumstances are that Frazier’s death was “especially heinous, atrocious, and cruel” and that it was also “committed during the course of a kidnapping.” They have both pleaded innocent.

The motion to sever states:

According to government discovery, it alleges that Mr. Sweet believed that Ms. Frazier stole money from him in the summer of 2010. Mr. Sweet, the government alleges, devised a plan to lure Ms. Frazier to his apartment so that they could physically punish her. Mr. Sweet devised this plan with his brother Laurence Hassan and some of his friends, Mdmes. Proctor, Nelson and Bell. The government contends that Ms. Frazier came to the apartment at Mr. Sweet's invitation and that the five individuals, along with Brian Gaither, assaulted her. The government asserts that at some point, Ms. Frazier lost consciousness and was gagged. The government believes that Ms. Frazier died from the restraints or from a chokehold prior to restraint.

Mr. Sweet and Mr. Gaither both made statements to Metropolitan Police Detectives. Mr. Sweet's statement involves Mr. Gaither's and alletes that Mr. Gaither was present and actively participating in all of the aspects of this crime.

The information available to undersigned counsel indicates that Mr. Sweet's defense will attempt to exonerate him by pointing an accusing finger at Mr. Gaither. Because Mr. Sweet's defense will attempt to portray Mr. Gaither as the primary actor in this incident, a substantial danger exists that the evidence and arguments presented by Mr. Sweet would provide the basis of the jury's conviction of Mr. Gaither.

In a three week period last winter, Gaither, Sweet, Aneka Nelson, Cinthya Proctor, Laurence Hassan, and Lanee Bell were arrested in connection with Frazier’s disappearance.

Hassan and Proctor have each pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the case.

Bell, though MPD announced that she was arrested on suspicion of felony murder, has not been charged with murder. Court records indicate that she was charged with kidnapping in January and pleaded innocent.

If convicted, Gaither and Sweet face life sentences without the possibility of parole. In November Prosecutor Chris Kavanaugh said there are no plea discussions in the cases.

A trial is set for Nov. 2012.

Gaither, Sweet, Plead Innocent in Latisha Frazier Murder; Trial Set for Nov. 2012

Laura Amico — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:27:23 -0400

Brian Gaither and Johnnie Sweet each pleaded innocent today to first degree and felony murder and kidnapping in the death of Latisha Frazier in Aug. 2010.

If convicted, they face life sentences without the possibility of parole. Prosecutor Chris Kavanaugh said there are no plea discussions in the cases.

Judge William Jackson set a trial date in the case for Nov. 19, 2012, despite Sweet's attorney's objections that it violated his client's right to a speedy trial.

Jackson said there were no dates before November available on his calendar.

Brian Gaither, Johnnie Sweet Indicted on First Degree Murder in Death of Latisha Frazier

Laura Amico — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:11:22 -0400

Brian Gaither and Johnnie Sweet have been indicted on charges related to the death of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier, the US Attorney's Office announced this afternoon.

Gaither, 23, and Sweet, 18, are due in court tomorrow.

The indictment charges each man with first degree felony murder, first degree premeditated murder, and "aggravating circumstances." Those circumstances are that Frazier's death was “especially heinous, atrocious, and cruel” and that it was also “committed during the course of a kidnapping.”

Authorities believe Frazier was the victim of a brutal attack by six people. According to court documents, the 18-year-old was beaten, stomped, bound, taped, gagged, prodded and choked. Her head was covered with a sheet. Tossed into a closet, she finally died. Her body was thrown into a dumpster and hasn’t been found, though it’s believed to be in a landfill.

Court documents state that the group of young people was upset because they believed Frazier had stolen $900 from one of them.

In a three week period last winter, Gaither, Sweet, Aneka Nelson, Cinthya Proctor, Laurence Hassan, and Lanee Bell were arrested in connection with Frazier’s disappearance.

Hassan and Proctor have each pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the case.

Nelson, according to public records, is in custody and awaiting an indictment from the Grand Jury. Court records show that a status hearing on Nov. 18 was set in July for her case.

Last month a source told Homicide Watch that the only open cases in connection with Frazier's death were the cases against Gaither and Sweet.

A copy of the indictment and a press release from the US Attorney's office is below.

Two Men Indicted in Kidnapping, Murder,and Dismemberment of 18-Year-Old Latisha Frazier-If Convicted, Men Could Face Life Prison Terms With No Possibility of Release -

WASHINGTON - Two men were indicted today on charges of first degree felony murder, first degree premeditated murder, and other offenses stemming from the brutal slaying last year of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Brian Gaither, 23, and Johnnie Sweet, 17, both of Washington, D.C., were indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia. In addition to the murder charges, the grand jury indicted Gaither and Sweet on charges of kidnapping and tampering with physical evidence. Gaither is also charged with obstruction of justice for his subsequent attempts to suborn perjury on his behalf at trial

The defendants, who have been in custody since their arrests in January 2011, are to be arraigned Thursday, November 3, 2011, before the Honorable William M. Jackson.

The charges stem from the kidnapping and murder of Ms. Frazier, which took place in Southeast Washington in August 2010, as well as the defendants’ subsequent attempts to dismember and dispose of the victim’s body in a nearby dumpster. Ms. Frazier was reported missing, and for months, her disappearance was unsolved. Her body has yet to be recovered, and the exact whereabouts are unknown. A total of five people have been arrested in the case.

In addition to the various substantive crimes specified in the indictment, the indictment charges the defendants with “aggravating circumstances.” Specifically, the indictment charges that the murder was “especially heinous, atrocious, and cruel” and that it was also “committed during the course of a kidnapping.” If these aggravating circumstances are eventually found by a jury at trial, the defendants could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without possibility of release.

The case remains under investigation.

An indictment is merely an allegation that defendants have committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in a court of law.

In announcing the indictments, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the extraordinary efforts of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in this investigation and took note of the hard work performed by Detectives Jeffrey Owens, Oliver Garvey, Darryl Richmond, Mitch Credle, Anthony Brigidini, Kenneth Williams, Susan Blue and Jeff Mayberry of the Major Case/Cold Case Squad, and Detectives Jackie Middleton and Dan Lewis of the Seventh District.

In addition, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Larry Grasso of the Criminal Intelligence Unit, paralegal specialists Kwasi Fields, and Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker. Finally, he praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, who is prosecuting the case.

Only Two Defendants Remain in Latisha Frazier Murder Case

Laura Amico — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:36:55 -0400

Of the six people arrested on suspicion of killing D.C. teenager Latisha Frazier, the US Attorney's Office has only two open cases against those suspects remaining.

That news follows on the heels of a guilty plea made by one of those co-defendants Friday.

In a three week period last winter, Brian Gaither, Johnnie Sweet, Aneka Nelson, Cinthya Proctor, Laurence Hassan, and Lanee Bell were arrested in connection with Frazier's disappearance.

Only two defendants, Gaither and Sweet, remain, a source told Homicide Watch Saturday.

So what's happened to the other four defendants?

Hassan pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Friday. Proctor entered a guilty plea in July. Both are awaiting sentencing and face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Nelson, according to public records, is in custody and awaiting an indictment from the Grand Jury. Court records show that a status hearing on Nov. 18 was set in July for her case. No further entries have been made on her docket.

Said US Attorney's Office Spokesman William Miller, "Only two pleas are public - Proctor and Hassan. We can't comment beyond that."

Authorities believe Frazier was the victim of a brutal attack by six people. According to court documents, the 18-year-old was beaten, stomped, bound, taped, gagged, prodded and choked. Her head was covered with a sheet. Tossed into a closet, she finally died. Her body was thrown into a dumpster and hasn't been found, though it's believed to be in a landfill. MPD Police Chief Cathy Lanier said a search of the landfill would be too costly and likely dangerous.

Plea documents in Proctor's and Hassan's cases state that the group of young people was upset because they believed Frazier had stolen $900 from one of them.

Guilty Plea to Second Degree Murder in Latisha Frazier Death

Laura Amico — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 13:50:27 -0400

Nineteen-year-old Cinthya Proctor pleaded guilty this morning to participating in the killing of Latisha Frazier last August.

According to the details of the plea agreement, Proctor could be sentenced to life in prison.

Proctor is, at this time, the only defendant to plead guilty to the crime. Anneka Nelson, Johnnie Sweet, Brian Gaither and Laurence Hassan have also been arrested in connection with the case. Their cases are pending indictment at this time.

Appearing in court Friday morning, Proctor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to tamper with evidence in the case.

According to government prosecutors, Proctor proffered that she joined others in beating Frazier because they believed Frazier had stolen $900 from Sweet.

Frazier, an 18-year-old mother, was beaten, stomped, bound, taped, gagged, prodded and choked, according to the government's evidence. Her head was covered with a sheet. She was tossed into a closet. When she finally died, her body was moved from room to room while her killers discussed how to dispose of her. They decided to dismember her, but her killers could not bring themselves to complete the job because of the stench of her flesh, or, as prosecutors said Friday, their knife was not sharp enough.

Proctor answered each of Judge William Jackson's questions with "yes your honor" or "no your honor," and hung her head while prosecutors outlined the case they would have made against her if the case had gone to trial.

Judge Jackson said the maximum penalty for second-degree murder is life in prison.

According to the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed not to indict Proctor on any further charges relating to the case, to waive all enhancements, that the District of Columbia Sentencing Commission’s Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines will be used, and that the government will not oppose concurrent sentences for the three charges.

The maximum penalty for second-degree murder is life in prison, Judge Jackson said, adding that the maximum penalties for kidnapping and conspiracy were 30 years and 3 years, respectively.

Proctor was 18-years-old and had just started college when she was arrested. Her attorney added that she was six months pregnant when the crime occurred.

A press release from the USAO is below.

District Woman Pleads Guilty to Murder, Other Charges In Killing of 19-Year-Old Latisha Frazier- Defendant Later Joined in Plot to Dispose of the Victim’s Body -

WASHINGTON - Cinthya Proctor, 18, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to second degree murder and other charges in the killing of another teenager last year, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Proctor pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of second degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to commit evidence tampering. She is to be sentenced November 4, 2011 by the Honorable William M. Jackson. Proctor faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

According to a statement of facts signed by the defendant and submitted to the Court, Proctor was among a group of people who took part in the August 2010 murder of Latisha Frazier, 19.

On August 1, 2010, Proctor and others decided that they would invite Ms. Frazier to an apartment in the 1700 block of Trenton Place SE to “teach her a lesson” because they suspected she had stolen $900 from one of them. During a discussion, they developed a plan that called for Proctor to join in beating the victim in a back bedroom.

The next day, the group gathered at the residence to carry out the plan. Ms. Frazier, as planned, was invited to the residence and went to the back bedroom. There Proctor and two other women hit her with their fists. Ms. Frazier cried for them to stop, and they ultimately did. However, two men who were part of the group then stepped in and punched and kicked the victim. Afterward, the group decided to bind Ms. Frazier with tape and put her in a closet. At that time, Ms. Frazier was still alive, and crying. Later that day, however, someone checked on her and reported to the group that the victim was dead.

Upon learning that Ms. Frazier had died, Proctor took part in a discussion about what to do with her body. The initial plan to was dismember the body, put it in a container and dispose of it in a park. The next day, Proctor joined in an attempt to dismember the body in a bathtub. But she became physically ill and went to a hospital before the body was removed from the apartment.

Ms. Frazier’s body has yet to be found. Proctor is among a number of people arrested in this case and has been in custody since February.

In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department, including Detectives Jeff Owens, Oliver Garvey, Darryl Richmond, Mitch Credle, Anthony Brigidini, Kenneth Williams, Susan Blue and Jeff Mayberry of the Major Case/Cold Case Squad. He also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Larry Grasso of the Criminal Intelligence Unit, Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, and Paralegal Kwasi Fields. Finally, he thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, who is prosecuting the case.

Grand Jury Could Take Full 9 Months to Indict Latisha Frazier Case

Laura Amico — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:50:53 -0400

Signaling that the Grand Jury could take the full nine months allotted by law to indict the Latisha Frazier murder case, Judge William Jackson set the next hearing date for the case for Oct. 21.

The date is one day before the nine-month deadline to indict the case against Brian Gaither, the first of six suspects arrested in connection with Frazier's death.

Assistant US Attorney Chris Kavanaugh, who is prosecuting the case, said that the status hearing date could be moved up if the Grand Jury is able to indict the case earlier.

Available Charging Documents in the Latisha Frazier Murder Case

Laura Amico — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:11:37 -0500

To make access to these documents easier, we've decided to post them all again in a single entry.