Delano Wingfield | Homicide Watch DC

Jeffrey Neal Held for Leon Young's Death; Young Hit With Hammer 28 Times

Megan Arellano — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 22:22:50 -0400

Judge John Ramsey Johnson found "ample" probable cause Friday against Jeffrey Neal in connection with the beating death of Leon Young.

Police found Young on June 12, five days after Neal said that he hit Young twice on the head with a hammer and killed him.

Five days later, the body of Delano Wingfield was found in a backyard area of the same residence in the 1800 block of 8th Street, Northwest. Neal told police that Young admitted to killing Wingfield, then swung a knife at Neal when Neal reached for a phone.

On Friday, Metropolitan Police Detective Jeffrey Weber testified that a medical examiner in the case gave a "conservative estimate" that Young was struck 28 times, including several times after a plastic bag was tied over Young's head.

In an interview with police, Neal said first said that he left Young's body entirely naked except for the plastic bag to contain bleeding from Young's head. Later, Neal said that he also left Young wearing a pair of socks, Weber said Friday.

According to Weber, Young was found in the attic of the house entirely nude except for the plastic bag. Police also found a D.C. identification card for Wingfield in the attic, Weber said.

Police found Wingfield on June 17 under a disturbed pile of dirt, covered by a pile of bricks and a rickshaw bicycle after a cadaver dog indicated the possibility of human remains in the area, Weber said. According to Weber, Wingfield was "entirely nude except for a pair of socks."

The last known contact with Wingfield was on May 28, Weber said Friday. Wingfield's grandmother filed a missing person's report on June 3.

However, Weber said that on June 4, a witness in the case received a text message from Wingfield's phone that said "something to the effect of, 'I'm going to Europe.'"

Before Young's death, Weber said there was "no evidence of prior animosity" between the two men, though a year ago, Young was arrested for assaulting Neal. According to Neal, Young came at him with a knife after "some small disagreement about living conditions," Weber said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shana Fulton argued that there was probable cause "at this time for the death of Leon Young," because Young's "at least 26 wounds" negate any argument of self-defense for Neal.

Fulton also argued that the many inconsistencies in Neal's story bolster the case for probable cause.

"The government doesn't believe that Leon Young killed Delano Wingfield," Fulton said, and it is "another inconsistency" in Neal's story.

Defense attorney Katerina Semyonova argued that Neal had reason to fear Young, given that Young previously attacked him. Semyonova also cited numerous instances of the "body's instinct to take over and just keep acting," such as individuals who shoot their attacker more than one time, and argued that Neal continued to strike because of his fear.

Judge Johnson disagreed with Semyonova, saying that "hitting someone over the head with a blunt object is different" and noting that Young was hit directly in the face.

A felony status conference in the case is scheduled for December 12 at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Johnson.

Second Shaw Beating Victim Identified as Delano Wingfield

Laura Amico — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 21:28:14 -0400

The body of a man found at the home of another recent homicide has been identified as Delano Wingfield, of Southeast DC.

Wingfield's death has been ruled a homicide, MPD said.

No arrests or charges have been announced in connection to the case.

June 26, 2014

Decedent Identified in Homicide:
1800 Block of 8th Street, NW

(Washington, DC)- Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a Homicide in the 1800 block of 8th Street, Northwest.

On Monday, June 16, 2014, at approximately 2:05 pm, members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch and the Crime Scene Investigations Division processed the backyard area of a house in the 1800 block of 8th Street, Northwest, pursuant to a District of Columbia Superior Court Search Warrant.

While executing the search warrant, the body of an unidentified adult male was discovered on the grounds of the residence where a homicide victim was located.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia determined the cause of death was multiple blunt force impact injuries and the manner of death has been ruled a homicide.

On Thursday, June 26, 2014, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia positively identified the remains of the decedent as 23 year-old Delano Wingfield, of Southeast, Washington, DC.

The homicide investigation is continuing.

The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons wanted for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.

Second Man Found Dead at Shaw Residence

Kristian Hernandez — Tue, 17 Jun 2014 20:08:41 -0400

Metropolitan police found an unidentified man dead in the backyard area of the 1800 block of 8th Street Northwest, according to a press release. A D.C. medical examiner ruled the cause of death was blunt force impact injuries.

The discovery comes five days after Leon Young was found dead in the attic of a residence in the same block. Police say that the unidentified man found Tuesday was discovered on the grounds of the residence where a homicide victim was located.

Jeffery Neal, 21, was held Saturday on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with Young's death. Neal told police that Young confessed to killing another man moments before Young swung a knife at him.

Police are trying to determine if the man found Tuesday is Delano DeWhitt Wingfield, who lived in the house and was reported missing on June 3, according to the Washington Post.

According to charging documents, Neal told police that Young told him that "he had killed Delano."

A press release from MPD is below.

Homicide:
1800 Block of 8th Street, NW

(Washington, DC)- Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a Homicide in the 1800 block of 8th Street, Northwest.

On Monday, June 16, 2014, at approximately 2:05 pm, members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch and the Crime Scene Investigations Division processed the backyard area of the 1800 block of 8th Street, Northwest, pursuant to a District of Columbia Superior Court Search Warrant.

While executing the search warrant, the body of an unidentified adult male was discovered on the grounds of the residence where a homicide victim was located.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia determined the cause of death was multiple blunt force impact injuries and the manner of death has been ruled a homicide.

The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons wanted for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.