Rico Matthews | Homicide Watch DC

18 Year Sentence for "Senseless" Killing of Rico Matthews

Laura Amico — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:48:39 -0500

It was just a little over a year ago that Rico Matthews was playing video games with friends when Jerome Bailey knocked on the door, entered the home and, in what prosecutors described as a "jealous rage," chased Matthews through the house shooting at him.

Today Judge Lynn Leibovitz called that crime "senseless."

"Two lives have been lost," she said just before sentencing Bailey to 18 years in prison on the charge of second-degree murder.

Matthews, who was shot six times on Nov. 5, 2010, died that same day of his injuries.

Orlando Jenkins, his father, told Leibovitz that Matthew's death has devastated his family.

"This is a real bad tragedy," he said. "I lost part of my heart."

The government's evidence in the case concluded that Bailey believed Matthews was interested in a woman Bailey was non-exclusively dating.

Bailey "worked himself into a rage" about that, AUSA Emily Miller said, adding that that rage spilled over, "culminating" with Matthew's violent death. Bailey pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Sept. 2011.

At sentencing, Bailey's words were simple: "I want to say I'm sorry to both my family and Rico's family," he said.

But Leibovitz had a message for him.

"It's about time for you to get a grip on how to control your impulses," she said.

The government's sentencing memorandum is below.

Jerome Bailey Pleads Guilty in Death of Rico Matthews

Laura Amico — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:37:03 -0400

Jerome Bailey pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Rico Matthews, whom Bailey believed was having a relationship with a woman that he also saw.

By pleading guilty, Bailey faces a sentence of 16 to 20 years imprisonment.

According to charging documents in the case, the woman told authorities that Bailey upset because he believed she was having a sexual relationship Matthews. When she told Bailey that she had not had a relationship with Matthews, he

punched her in the eye, knocking her to the ground. The next day [Bailey] confronted [Matthews] again, stating 'I'll smoke his ass.' ... On the morning of Friday, November 5, 2010, [Bailey] called and accused her of arranging a sexual encounter with [Matthews] for $250.

At a preliminary hearing in December Metro Police Homicide Detective Truby testified that the shooting occurred in a known drug house that Bailey and Matthews both frequented and that officials with Metro Police's Seventh District had a narcotics search warrant on the house when the shooting occurred.

A statement from the US Attorney's Office issued Wednesday stated that the same day Matthews and Bailey argued about the woman,

Bailey located Matthews inside a single-family house in the 4000 block of First Street SE. When Bailey arrived, Matthews came downstairs and met him at the rear door. The two men had a heated argument inside the house. Bailey then shot Matthews multiple times with a .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol. As Matthews tried to run away, Bailey pursued him throughout the first floor of the house and continued to shoot at him, ultimately striking Matthews four times and resulting in the victim’s death.

Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 18.

From the US Attorney's Office:

District Man Pleads Guilty to Murder In November 2010 Slaying in Southeast Washington
- Defendant Chased Victim, Firing a Semiautomatic Pistol -

WASHINGTON - Jerome E. Bailey, 20, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a charge of second degree murder while armed in a slaying that took place last year in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Bailey entered the guilty plea in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz scheduled sentencing for November 18, 2011. Under terms of the plea agreement, which are subject to Judge Leibovitz’s approval, Bailey would face a sentence of between 16 and 20 years of imprisonment.

According to the government’s evidence, in the months preceding the murder, Bailey believed that the decedent, Rico Matthews, 36, had become involved in a sexual relationship with a woman with whom Bailey also was involved. Bailey repeatedly confronted the woman, who denied being in a relationship with Matthews. On Friday, November 5, 2010, Bailey called the woman and confronted her once again, and she again denied any such relationship. Bailey repeatedly called the woman and Matthews that morning.

Then, in the afternoon, Bailey located Matthews inside a single-family house in the 4000 block of First Street SE. When Bailey arrived, Matthews came downstairs and met him at the rear door. The two men had a heated argument inside the house. Bailey then shot Matthews multiple times with a .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol. As Matthews tried to run away, Bailey pursued him throughout the first floor of the house and continued to shoot at him, ultimately striking Matthews four times and resulting in the victim’s death.

In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Detectives Anthony Greene, Gabriel Truby, Joshua Branson, Norma Horne, James Wilson, and Gus Giannakoulias; and Officers Kiernan Speight and Sean Hodges, who investigated the case. He also expressed appreciation to Marcey Rinker, the advocate who worked with the victim’s family. Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed his appreciation to Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Waxman and Emily A. Miller, who prosecuted the case.

Indictment Against Jerome Bailey may be Handed Up in July

Karen Frantz — Fri, 27 May 2011 18:16:05 -0400

Prosecutors said Friday that Jerome Bailey could be indicted in July for the shooting death of Rico Matthews last November.

Bailey, 20, is accused of fatally shooting Matthews after an argument. He appeared in court today for a felony status conference. The prosecutor in the case said at the hearing that an indictment should be handed up to the courts by the case's next status date on July 15.

Bailey is being held at least until that court date, despite his defense attorney's request Friday that he be released to his fiance or a halfway house. Judge Lynn Leibovitz denied that request, saying that Bailey's release would pose a danger to the community and that there was too great a possibility he would flee.

Jerome Bailey to be Tried in Shooting Death of Rico Matthews

Laura Amico — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 14:20:33 -0500

A Superior Court Judge ruled Friday that 20-year-old Jerome Bailey can be tried for the shooting death of Rico Matthews. Matthews, a 36-year-old D.C. resident, was shot at least twice on Nov. 5, 2010 while inside a single family home in the 4000 block of First Street Southeast D.C., according to the criminal complaint against Bailey.

The complaint alleges that Matthews and Bailey were in an argument when witnesses heard gunshots and saw Bailey flee the house.

One of the witnesses quoted in the complaint said Bailey was recently upset about a sexual relationship the witness had had with Matthews. When the witness told Bailey that she had not had a relationship with Matthews, he "punched her in the eye, knocking her to the ground. The next day [Bailey] confronted [Matthews] again, stating 'I'll smoke his ass.' ... On the morning of Friday, November 5, 2010, [Bailey] called and accused her of arranging a sexual encounter with [Matthews] for $250."

At a preliminary hearing Friday Metro Police Homicide Detective Truby testified that the shooting occurred in a known drug house that Bailey and Matthews both frequented and that officials with Metro Police's Seventh District had a narcotics search warrant on the house when the shooting occurred.

Judge Lynn Leibovitz set a felony status hearing in the case for March 16.

Rico Matthews

Laura Amico — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:23:59 -0500

A Washington Highlands man was fatally shot on 1st Street near Atlantic Avenue Nov. 5, Metro Police report.

The victim was identified as 36-year-old Rico Matthews.