Marlon Williams | Homicide Watch DC

Marlon Williams Receives 40 Year Sentence in Murder of Minn Soo Kang

Ivan Natividad — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 12:46:36 -0400

Judge Russell Canan sentenced Marlon Williams to 40 years in prison Thursday in connection with the 2010 shooting death of 37-year-old Minn Soo Kang.

"By all accounts an outstanding member of the community was killed over a car," Canan said. "Mr. Williams you are responsible for that."

Williams maintains that he is innocent of the charges against him.

"I give the real family my condolences. I can't imagine the pain they suffered," he said at sentencing Thursday. "But it's a sad day for my family too, because an innocent man is going to jail."

Kang was found laying on a curb in Southeast DC suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on Sept. 13, 2010 at about four a.m. His car had been stolen and was later found two miles away. Kang was transported to a local hospital where he died. Over a week later Williams, 34, was arrested and held on suspicion of felony murder in Kang's death.

Williams' first trial in the case was held in February, and resulted in a hung jury where eight of the twelve jurors were prepared to vote guilty on a felony murder charge; four were not.

Williams was retried in the case in July and found guilty of first-degree felony murder while armed and related robbery and weapons charges.

During trial, prosecutors argued that while Kang was parked, Williams approached Kang's vehicle, opened the passenger side door and shot Kang several times. Williams then dragged Kang out of the car drove away with the vehicle, prosecutors said.

Kang's car was found two miles away at the 5200 block of Ames Street Northeast. Williams’ fingerprints were found inside of the vehicle, and on the car's hood. When police searched Williams’ home, they found a semiautomatic pistol under his bed that matched the bullets recovered inside the Cadillac.

Prosecutors argued Friday that the nature of the crime was extremely brutal and that Williams has had issues with drugs while on release for previous crimes. But Williams' defense attorney, Betty Ballester, said that Williams has not accepted the jury's verdict and will be filing an appeal in the case.

Marlon Williams Found Guilty in Murder of Min Soo Kang

Ivan Natividad — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 14:57:52 -0400

Marlon Williams was found guilty Friday of first-degree felony murder while armed for the September 2010 shooting death of Min Soo Kang.

Jurors in the case deliberated for approximately one day before delivering their verdict at around 1:15 p.m. Williams was also found guilty of related robbery and weapons charges.

The trial was Williams' second in the case; a February trial resulted in a hung jury when jurors couldn't reach a verdict.

On the morning of September 13, 2010 at around 4:00 a.m., police found Kang laying on a curb suffering from multiple gunshot wounds on the 3500 block of Croffut Place Southeast. His 2010 black Cadillac Escalade had been stolen and was later found two miles away. Kang was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Court documents say Williams was arrested on September 24, 2010, two days after police searched his apartment and found a .45-caliber high point handgun in a bedroom. That gun matched bullets recovered from Kang's car.

In retrying the case Assistant U.S. attorney, Gary Wheeler, called to the stand a witness who did not testify in the first trial.

That witness, Alton Garbla, was facing a jury on a charge of unarmed carjacking at the same time Williams was on his first trial for Kang's murder.

Garbla testified that in February he and Williams were getting dressed and heading back into court for their respective trials.

“It’s time to put on my game face,” Williams allegedly told Garbla. “If you didn’t know anything about my case, could you tell that I had murdered somebody?”

Williams is scheduled to be sentenced September 27.

Penny Ray contributed to this report.

Williams to Witness: "Could you tell that I had murdered somebody?"

Penny Ray — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 22:07:05 -0400

On the final day of Marlon Williams' retrial on a charge that he shot and killed Min Soo Kang, a courthouse confidante took the stand to share with jurors what Williams said outside the courtroom during his first trial.

“It's time to put on my game face," Williams allegedly told Alton Garbla as the two men got dressed to head back into court and adjusted one another's ties. "If you didn't know anything about my case, could you tell that I had murdered somebody?”

Garbla, then facing a jury on a charge of unarmed carjacking, said that he and Williams, then on trial for Kang's death, would talk about their cases on court breaks in the “bullpen” at D.C. Superior court, where defendants are held when they are not in courtrooms.

Williams, "fighting a body," felt that the case was in his favor.

Garbla told the court that Williams also said police had found a gun in his room but he had wiped the fingerprints off.

“They didn't test the bullets found in the victim against the gun," Garbla said Williams said.

Kang was found lying on a curb in the 3500 block of Croffut Place Southeast around 4:00 am Sept. 13, 2010. He had suffered several gunshot wounds, including three to his chest, and his 2010 Cadillac Escalade had been stolen; it was later found two miles away.

Prosecutors say Williams is responsible for Kang's death. But Williams' defense attorney says the government didn't provide the whole picture and that they decided to “spoon feed the jury evidence.”

Williams is charged with first-degree felony murder. He was tried for Kang's death in February, but a jury deadlocked after they could not reach a determination of guilt or innocence.

Williams was retried this week, and jurors heard closing arguments in the case Thursday afternoon.

According to evidence introduced at trial this week, just three hours and fifteen minutes before being found shot, Kang purchased two cartons of Newport cigarettes from a gas station in Virginia. Prosecutors believe that after the purchase Kang drove his Escalade to the 3500 block of Croffut Place SE and parked.

Prosecutors believe that while Kang was parked, Williams approached the vehicle, opened the passenger side door, shot Kang several times, dragged him to the ground, and then fled with the vehicle.

Kang was found lying on the sidewalk around 4:00 that morning. The Escalade was found in the 5200 block of Ames Street Northeast about 12 hours later, after OnStar disabled the engine.

Robert McCollum, an MPD crime scene technician, testified that more than 40 fingerprints were recovered from the vehicle, six of which matched Williams. The remaining prints were unidentified.

Russell Hairston, Williams' defense attorney, reminded jurors of those unidentified fingerprints in closing arguments Thursday.

“You got a lot of people tampering with that car," Hairston told jurors. "But [Williams] is who they wanted, and [Williams] is who they went after.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Wheeler, though, had an explanation for why no other suspects were arrested:

“The difference between [the fingerprints] is that those six prints led police to the gun,” Wheeler told the court.

The weapon Wheeler referred to had been found under a bed in William's apartment.

According to forensics tests, that gun, a .45 caliber Hi-Point pistol, matched all three bullets recovered from the driver's seat of Kang's Escalade.

Biological tests, though, did not find any of William's DNA, blood or fingerprints on the gun. Nor did any blood or DNA on the gun match Kang.

Jury deliberations in the case began a little after 3:00 p.m. Thursday and will resume Friday morning.

After Hung Jury, Retrial in Marlon Williams Murder Case Begins

Ivan Natividad — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 21:30:54 -0400

During opening statements in the Marlon Williams murder trial Tuesday prosecutors said forensic evidence and witness testimony will prove Williams shot Min Soo Kang, stole his car, and then left him for dead on the side of the road.

But Russell Hairston, Williams' defense attorney, argued that the government "didn't do their job," and that there is no evidence proving beyond a reasonable doubt that his client committed the murder.

Williams, 32, is charged with first-degree felony murder in the September 2010 shooting death of 37-year-old Kang. This is Williams' second trial in the case; jurors in the first trial deadlocked in February.

In opening statements, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Wheeler, described Kang's last moments. After purchasing two cartons of cigarettes at a gas station in Alexandria, Va., Wheeler said, Kang sat in the driver's seat of his black Escalade, which was parked in the 3500 block of Croffut Place Southeast. Prosecutors allege that was when Williams approached Kang, opened the passenger side door, shot him in the face and chest, dragged him onto the ground, and then fled with Kang's car.

Kang was found lying on the sidewalk around 4:00 a.m. Sept. 13, 2010.

Kang's vehicle was found two miles away in the 5200 block of Ames Street Northeast, after OnStar disabled the car's engine.

Robert McCollum, an MPD crime scene technician, testified Tuesday that 45 fingerprints were recovered from the vehicle, six of which matched Williams.

"Mr. Williams shot, shot, shot Mr. Kang," Wheeler said during opening statements. "[Williams'] fingerprints were found on the interior handle of the car; his palm print [was] found on the car's hood."

Ebony Hood testified Tuesday that as she walked home from work, she saw an Escalade parked in front of her house; a man was sitting across the street from the car, she said.

Hood testified that she watched the man from a window as he flashed the vehicle's lights and "messed with the hood" of the car. She then called 911 and described the man as 5-feet-4-inches, dark-skinned and wearing black pants, black shoes and a white T-shirt. Prosecutors believe Williams fit that description.

But Hairston argued Tuesday that it was not an identification of his client and that even "juror seven fits that description."

Williams' first trial ended with a deadlocked jury after two and a half days of deliberations.

In that trial, jurors said eight of the twelve jurors were prepared to vote guilty on a felony murder charge; six of the twelve were prepared to convict on an attempted robbery charge.

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

Marlon Williams to Face New Trial in July

Sam Pearson — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:43:41 -0500

The government plans to retry Marlon Williams, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Wheeler said Thursday. Judge Russell Canan scheduled the trial for July 8.

Williams appeared in court briefly Thursday morning, the day after a mistrial was declared in his trial on first-degree murder charges.

Williams faced charges in connection with the 2010 shooting death of Minn Soo Kang. He's been held without bond at D.C. jail for more than two years.

Jurors Deadlock in Murder Trial Against Marlon Williams

Penny Ray — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:51:52 -0500

After two and a half days of deliberations, jurors in the murder trial against Marlon Williams told Judge Lynn Leibovitz that they had reached a deadlock.

Sitting in for Judge Canan, Leibovitz declared a mistrial in the case at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday. It is the third D.C. homicide trial to result in a deadlock this year.

Williams is charged with five counts in connection with the shooting death of Min Soo Kang, including felony murder while armed and attempted robbery. Eight jurors voted guilty on the murder charge, the jury said. Six jurors voted to convict on the attempted robbery charge.

At trial, prosecutors argued that Williams shot Kang inside his Cadillac Escalade on September 13, 2010, after Kang had returned from purchasing two cartons of cigarettes in Virginia.

Police found Kang’s body on the sidewalk in the 3500 block of Croffut Place Southeast, and reported his vehicle as stolen to OnStar. The company locked the ignition, preventing whoever had it from starting the Escalade.

A witness testified that she saw a man resembling Williams tinkering with a Cadillac Escalade outside her home two miles from where Kang was found, and she reported the suspicious activity to the police. By the time police arrived, Williams was gone, but his fingerprints were found on the hood and inside of the vehicle.

A search warrant later recovered a semiautomatic pistol from Williams' home; the gun matched the bullets recovered from inside the Cadillac.

Williams' defense attorney, Russell Hairston, argued that the government had only proven that Williams had touched the outside of the vehicle. Holes remained in the case, he said.

Judge Leibovitz scheduled a status hearing on Canan's calendar for Thursday. The defense is expected to motion for Williams' release. Prosecutors will seek to schedule a new trial date for the case.

Jury Begins Deliberations in Murder, Robbery Charges Against Marlon Williams

Sam Pearson — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:36:23 -0500

Jurors tasked with weighing the evidence of first-degree murder and robbery charges against Marlon Williams began deliberating Thursday afternoon after hearing closing arguments from prosecutors and Williams' defense attorney.

Williams is charged with the 2010 shooting death of Minn Soo Kang. Williams faces charges of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, attempt to commit robbery while armed and possession of a firearm in a home or business.

Prosecutors say that on the night he was killed, Kang bought two cartons of cigarettes in Virginia and returned to D.C. where he was shot inside his 2010 Cadillac Escalade.

Prosecutors said it was Williams who was responsible for the shooting.

Police found Kang's body on the sidewalk at the 3500 block of Croffut Place, Southeast, and reported his vehicle as stolen to OnStar. The company locked the ignition, preventing whoever had it from starting the Escalade.

Two miles away at the 5200 block of Ames Street Northeast, a woman looked out her window and saw a suspicious man tinkering with a Cadillac Escalade. She asked him to move the car, but he said it wouldn't start and he was trying to jump start the vehicle.

When he heard sirens approaching, he shut the hood and threw a white bag into her yard, the woman testified. When police left the area, the man went back to the vehicle. She called 911.

"I think this young man may have stolen a car," she told the call taker, describing a man that fit William's description.

By the time police arrived, the man was gone. But Williams' fingerprints were found on the hood of the Cadillac and inside the vehicle. When police searched Williams' home, they found a semiautomatic pistol under Williams' bed that matched the bullets recovered inside the Cadillac.

Williams' attorney, Russell Hairston, argued holes remained in the case. The government only proved Williams had touched the outside of the car, Hairston said. He said there were other fingerprints that could have been tested that may have identified others.

"Who did the rest belong to?" Hairston said. "I don't know."

Wheeler said investigators didn't test 49 other fingerprints because they thought the evidence against Williams was overwhelming.

Wheeler told the jury: "When you folks came in, you left certain things behind. You didn't leave your common sense."

Without Eyewitnesses, Prosecutor Asks Jurors to Look at Ballistic, Fingerprint Evidence in Marlon Williams Trial

Sam Pearson — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:34:32 -0500

Telling jurors that there would be no eyewitnesses to this homicide, prosecutors opened the murder case against Marlon Williams Tuesday morning, asking jurors to instead listen for evidence about ballistics and fingerprints.

Williams is accused of first-degree murder in the 2010 death of Minn Soo Kang. Kang was found fatally shot at 4:07 a.m. Sept. 13, 2010 on the sidewalk at the 3500 block of Croffut Place Southeast.

In opening arguments Tuesday, Prosecutor Gary Wheeler said that while no witnesses saw Williams fatally shoot Kang, he believed enough physical evidence existed to tie Williams to the crime.

Specifically, Wheeler said, Kang's 2010 Cadillac Escalade was found after Kang's death with William's fingerprints inside and outside the car.

Detectives also spoke with a witness who said he had observed a man matching Williams' description tampering with the vehicle, Wheeler said.

Investigators later recovered three bullets from inside the driver's seat. Those bullets were matched to a semiautomatic pistol found under Williams' bed during a later search of his home, Wheeler said.

Defense attorney Russell Hairston argued that wasn't enough to link Williams to the crime. He said there were significant gaps in the evidence he planned to expose to the jury.

"This is a case almost like what you see on television," Hairston said.

Antonio Valdez Vela

Laura Amico — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:48:31 -0400

Antonio Valdez Vela, a 22-year-old man from Waldorf, Md., died August 30 after being shot. Vela was found suffering from gunshot wounds by Metro Police responding to a gunshots call at approximately 11:30 p.m. at in the 4400 block of F Street, D.C. Metro Police said. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

On Sept. 24 DeAngelo Jose Garner, a 25-year-old man from District Heights, Md., was arrested and charged with first degree murder for Vela's death (2010 CF1 018020 United States Vs. GARNER, DEANGELO). Garner is currently (10-20-10) in custody at the Central Detention Facility.

He is expected in court again Oct. 21 at 9:30 a.m. for a preliminary hearing. Garner is represented by court appointed attorney, Justin Okezie.

Garner was arrested the same day as two other murder suspects wanted by Metro PD. Marlon Williams was arrested for the death Min Soo Kang and Damon Antonio Sams was arrested for Ashley McRae's death.

Garner, DeAngeloJose VINElink

GARNER, DeAngelo docket 10-20

Arrest in Ashley McRae Homicide

Laura Amico — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 10:50:55 -0400

Reader Kaai gave an excellent heads up this morning that an arrest has been made in the shooting death of 21-year-old Columbia Heights woman Ashley McRae.

"Antonio Sams of Southeast has been arrested and charged with 2nd degree murder. God is Good. She was such a sweet girl. I hope he never sees sun light again.... RIP Moma," wrote Kaai.

In a press release, Metro Police said 22-year-old Damon Antonio Sams of Southeast, DC was arrested just before 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24 and charged with second degree murder while armed for McRae's death.

In D.C. Superior Court records, a misdemeanor case against Damon A. Sams is currently open. That suspect was charged July 10, 2010 with threats to do bodily harm. On Thursday the prosecution filed a motion for continuance of the trial date. Damon A. Sams is being represented in that case by Attorney Cherlyn Freeman-Watkins of the Law Office of C. Freeman-Watkins. We can't be certain that this is the same suspect as Damon Antonio Sams but will follow up.

A memorial service for McRae is planned for Tuesday, September 28, 2010 at 10 a.m. at Walker Memorial Baptist Church 2020 13th st N.W, according to a Facebook memorial post.

Metro Police announced Sams' arrest at the same time as two unrelated homicide case arrests: Marlon Williams of Southeast, DC for the shooting death of Min Soo Kang on the 3500 block of Croffut Place, SE and 24-year-old DeAngelo Jose Garner of District Heights, Md. for the shooting death of 22-year-old Antonio Valdez Vela of Waldorf, Md. on the 4400 block of F Street, SE.

Read the Washington Post's coverage here and the Examiner's coverage here.