Garrett Armand White | Homicide Watch DC

Murder Charge Against Aaron Adams Dismissed

Laura Amico — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 13:35:51 -0400

A second-degree murder charge against Aaron Adams has been dismissed.

Adams, who was 25 years old when he was arrested in June 2011, was suspected in the stabbing death of Garrett Armand White.

The US Attorney's Office declined to comment on the dismissal, but said that the investigation "is continuing."

White was stabbed outside a nightclub on Georgia Avenue Northwest on May 29. According to charging documents in the case, when a police officer arrived on the scene, White was still alive and able to talk.

“Ace did this to me. He stabbed me,” White told the officer, who then asked what “Ace” looked like.

“If I make it through this, I will tell you,” White said.

White didn’t make it through. Just after 9 a.m. on Sunday May 29, he was pronounced dead, less than six hours after he had been stabbed.

In charging documents, detectives said "Ace" was Adams; at a preliminary hearing, Judge Gerald Fisher found probable cause to believe the charge against Adams.

According to court records, Adams was in the custody of a halfway house while the Grand Jury investigated his case. Records show that the case was dismissed last Thursday; the record does not show Adams having been indicted in the case.

In DC, an indictment, which is a formal charge, must be secured in the process of a Grand Jury investigation in order for the case to proceed to trial. Prosecutors have nine months from the time that a defendant is arrested to secure an indictment against that defendant.

Based on Adam's arrest date, the nine month deadline in his case would have been up Feb. 15, 2012.

Aaron Adams Released to Halfway House Following Preliminary Hearing in Garrett White Murder Case

Laura Amico — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:03:20 -0400

Aaron Adams was released today after Judge Gerald Fisher found probable cause--but not the stronger "substantial probability" prosecutors sought--to believe that Adams was the person responsible for fatally stabbing Garrett White Memorial Day weekend in a large fight outside a Georgia Avenue bar.

Adams is suspected of second degree murder. He was arrested after White, lying injured in the street, told officers: "Ace did this to me. He stabbed me."

Friends of the men, and people who were at the same bar the night of the stabbing, identified Adams as "Ace" to police. Investigators have not yet identified any witnesses to the stabbing.

Fisher rejected the government's request that he find "substantial probability" in the case, saying White's is the only identification of Adams as the perpetrator and that that identification is weak because White was likely drinking and fighting the night he was killed. He released Adams, saying that he did not believe he presented a danger to society.

At the preliminary hearing Thursday morning, MPD Homicide Detective Sean Caine testified that witnesses to the fight said White had been "wilding out," and had punched two women in their faces and, when a man came to the women's defense, he punched him, dropping him to the ground.

Caine testified that that incident agitated a crowd who had gathered with White outside the bar, a crowd that witnesses said included Adams.

"We don't have the whole story of everything that happened yet," Caine told the court.

Families of both men were in court for the preliminary hearing, and White's family was upset that Adams was released into the custody of a halfway house.

White's aunt, Dorothy Walker, said she was surprised to hear details about the fight.

"If he were provoked, he would defend himself," she said of her nephew. "But he's not the type to strike someone. He loved children and respected elderly people. I didn't know him to be like that."

A status hearing date is set for the case for Sept. 23.

Aaron Adams Preliminary Hearing Rescheduled

Laura Amico — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 21:58:07 -0400

A preliminary hearing in the case against Aaron Adams, accused of stabbing to death Garrett White over Memorial Day weekend, has been rescheduled for June 23.

A notice on Adams' docket indicates that the first date the hearing was scheduled for-- Friday-- was in error.

Prosecutors Believe they Have Man Murder Victim Named Before Dying

Laura Amico — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:51:48 -0400

Twenty-five-year-old Garrett White was laying on the ground outside a DC nightclub, covered in blood and clutching his abdomen when a police officer found him.

"Ace did this to me. He stabbed me," White told the officer, who then asked what "Ace" looked like.

"If I make it through this, I will tell you," White said.

White didn't make it through. Just after 9 a.m. on Sunday May 29, he was pronounced dead, less than six hours after he had been stabbed.

Those details are according to charging documents filed June 10 (and posted after the jump). In them government investigators allege that "Ace" is Aaron Adams, a 25-year-old DC man with a brief criminal history of misdemeanor drug and theft charges.

Adams appeared in DC Superior Court today to be presented with a second-degree murder charge in connection with White's death. Wearing a printed gray t-shirt and jeans, Adams showed no emotion while attorneys debated whether there is, at this point, probable cause to try Adams for the crime. Judge Karen Howze ruled that there was.

Charging documents allege that Adams and White may have been involved in a melee of 12 to 16 men and woman outside the G-Spot Bar & Lounge over the Memorial Day weekend. White, who was 6' 6'', was seen in the crowd by a witness "with his fists raised in a defensive posture."

Shortly before that witness saw White on the ground, Adams was seen leaving the fight and walking back into the nightclub. The documents don't provide any details on what happened in the fight.

A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for Friday at 9:30 a.m. in Judge Gerald Fisher's courtroom (320).

Arrest in Memorial Day Weekend Fatal Stabbing of Garrett White

Laura Amico — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 19:54:36 -0400

A 25 year-old Northwest DC man was arrested Tuesday morning on suspicion of killing Garrett White in the 5400 block of Georgia Avenue, NW on May 29.

Aaron Adams is charged with second degree murder while armed, MPD said Tuesday evening.

MPD's press release is after the jump.

June 14, 2011

Arrest Made in the Homicide of Garrett White

( Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in fatal stabbing of 25 year-old Garrett White.

On Sunday, May 29, 2011, at approximately 3:25 am, units from the Fourth District responded to the 5400 block of Georgia Avenue, NW to investigate a report of a male lying in the roadway. Upon arrival, they discovered an adult male victim suffering from a laceration. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent has been identified as 25-year-old Garrett Armand White of Northwest, DC.

On Tuesday, June 14, 2011, at approximately 10:00 am, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested and charged 25 year-old Aaron Adams of Northwest, DC with Murder Two while Armed.

Man Dead After Stabbing in NW DC

Laura Amico — Sun, 29 May 2011 17:40:51 -0400

UPDATE: The victim in this case has been identified as 25 year-old Garrett Armand White of Northwest DC.

Read MPD's press release after the jump.

MPD Homicide detectives are investigating an early morning ~~mid-day~~ stabbing that left one man dead in Northwest DC Sunday.

From the Fourth District listserve,

Around 3:30 am on today’s date, units received a call for an assault in the 5400 blk of Georgia Avenue, NW. Upon arrival, an adult male victim was located in the block suffering from apparent stab wounds. The male was transported to an area hospital where he later died.

The Homicide Branch is investigating this case and we ask that anyone with information is asked to call 1-888-919-CRIM(E).

Kimberly Chisley-Missouri
Commander
Metropolitan Police Department
Fourth District

At 9:30 Sunday evening, MPD released the following statement:

May 29, 2011

Homicide: 5400 Block of Georgia Ave

(Washington, DC) - Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating an incident which occurred in the 5400 block of Georgia Ave, NW that resulted in a fatality.

On Sunday, May 29, 2011, at approximately 3:25 am, officers from the Fourth District responded to the 5400 block of Georgia Ave, NW for the report of a male lying in the roadway. Upon their arrival, they discovered an adult male victim suffering from a laceration. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded and transported the victim to a local area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent is identified as 25 year-old Garrett Armand White of Northwest, DC.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099 or 1-888-919-CRIME (1-888-919-2746).

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.

Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to DC CRIME SOLVERS at 1-866-411-TIPS and to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411. If the information provided by the caller to the Crime Solvers Unit leads to an arrest and indictment, that caller will be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.