Solomon Reese | Homicide Watch DC

James Brewer, Stephen Page Sentenced in Fatal Shooting of Veteran Solomon Reese

Dana Jennings — Sat, 18 Jan 2014 08:51:46 -0500

James Brewer and Stephen Page were sentenced Friday in connection with the shooting death of 71-year-old Vietnam veteran Solomon Reese.

The two men pleaded guilty in November to killing Reese during the course of a robbery.

Brewer was sentenced to 27 years and 8 months in prison; Page was sentenced to 31 years in prison.

Addressing Brewer, Judge Herbert Dixon said, “You didn’t pull the trigger, and if this was your first offense that might have meant a lot in sentencing, but right now it doesn’t mean a whole lot to me.”

Brewer has been arrested 10 times and convicted of three crimes, according to court records.

Erica Reese, Reese’s wife, wept openly throughout both sentencings. Her husband was known as “the cigarette man” because he was known to sell cigarettes out of his apartment to supplement his retirement, she said.

It was for this reason that Brewer, Page, and another man, Anthony Thomas, invaded Reese’s home in a robbery on June 27, 2011, court documents state. But that robbery was interrupted when Erica Reese returned to the apartment from taking out the trash.

When she started screaming the men put a blanket in her mouth to silence her, and when Mr. Reese attempted to protect her Page shot him four times point blank, killing him. Security cameras show three men leaving with two duffle bags filled with cigarettes and a few certified checks.

Police found Erica Reese on the floor, distraught, and Solomon Reese in the doorway, dead.

“They took him from me,” she said Friday at the sentencing. “I am alone here in this world.”

Brewer appeared affected by her words.

“I stay up at night and all I can see is his face,” he said.

“There’s a lot that I could say to you that wouldn’t make any difference,” said Brewer. “I would do anything to take it back.”

“Just think what would have happened if you had just said no, and that they were dumb,” said Dixon.

Page apologized for his actions. When Dixon asked him to think about what he had done, Page said, “That could have been my grandfather, sir.”

“Yes, indeed," said Dixon. "He could have been.”

A press release from the US Attorney's Office is below. Sentencing documents have been added below the press release.

Two District Men Plead Guilty to 2011 Murder
Of Retired Vietnam Veteran in Southeast Washington
-Victim, 71, Was Slain in His Apartment After Trying to Protect His Wife-

WASHINGTON- James Brewer, 27, and Stephen Page, 20, of Washington, D.C., have pled guilty to charges of second-degree murder while armed in the 2011 slaying of a 71-year-old man in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.

Both men entered the guilty pleas on Nov. 13, 2013, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2014.

According to a proffer of facts presented during the plea hearing, on June 27, 2011, at about 9:15 p.m., Brewer, Page, Anthony Thomas, and a fourth man walked into an apartment building in the 2300 block of Good Hope Road SE. They entered the front lobby and gathered at the elevator. Then they took the elevator to the seventh floor.

Minutes later, Brewer, Page and Thomas entered the apartment of Solomon Reese, 71, a Vietnam veteran who supplemented his retirement income by selling cigarettes to neighbors in the area. Mr. Reese was known by many neighbors as the “cigarette man.”

While the men were inside, Mr. Reese’s wife, meanwhile, returned to the apartment from the building’s trash room. Upon hearing scuffling, she began to scream. At that point, Brewer pulled her inside the apartment and threw her toward the front room sofa. Then, as she continued to scream, Thomas placed a blanket over her mouth. Mr. Reese, who initially struggled with Page over a pistol that Page was holding, grabbed Thomas. Page warned him to let go. Then, when Mr. Reese reached into his pocket, Page shot him several times.

Brewer, Page and Thomas left the apartment, taking two bags containing cigarettes and travelers’ checks. Mr. Reese was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries. He had been shot multiple times, with bullets hitting him in the chest, abdomen and thigh.

Detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) obtained surveillance video showing Brewer, Page, Thomas, and the fourth man entering the building and getting onto the elevator. Footage from approximately seven minutes later showed Brewer, Page and Thomas moving quickly out of the stairwell on the basement level, with Brewer carrying two bags.

On July 14, 2011, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Brewer in Newport News, Va., and transported him to the District of Columbia for presentment on a charge of first-degree murder while armed. While awaiting presentment in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Brewer switched armbands with another arrestee and pretended to be that person. He then signed release papers under that arrestee’s name and left the courthouse. Marshals discovered the ruse and searched for Brewer, who surrendered the following day.

Thomas, 25, earlier pled guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed and is awaiting sentencing.

In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the MPD detectives, officers, crime scene technicians, and forensic specialists who worked on the case. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. In addition, he praised those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alesha Matthews Yette; Litigation Technology Specialists Kimberly Smith, Leif Hickling, and Joshua Ellen; Jelahn Stewart, chief of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit, and Victim/Witness staff members Maria Shumar, Marcia Rinker, Michael Hailey, Katina Adams-Washington, M. Laverne Forrest, Tanya Via, and David Foster. Finally, he commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Wheeler, and Scott Sroka, who secured the indictment in the case and handled the prosecution which led to the plea.

Brewer, James Sentencing Documents (PDF)Brewer, James Sentencing Documents (Text)

Page, Stephen Sentencing Documents (PDF)Page, Stephen Sentencing Documents (Text)

Stephen Page and James Brewer Plead Guilty to Second-Degree Murder While Armed in Solomon Reese Death

Ivan Natividad — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 14:27:51 -0500

Stephen Page and James Brewer, two of three suspects charged in connection with the 2011 shooting death of 71-year-old Solomon Reese, pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder while armed and related robbery offenses.

Police found Reese June 27, 2011 at approximately 9:30 p.m. in his apartment on the 2300 block of Good Hope Road Southeast suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died.

Brewer, 27, and Page, 20, were arrested less than a month later and charged with first-degree felony murder in connection with Reese’s death. A third suspect, Anthony Thomas, 25, pleaded guilty in October to a charge of voluntary manslaughter in connection with Reese’s death.

The three co-defendants were indicted last year on 13 counts of first-degree felony murder, obstruction, conspiracy, burglary and armed robbery of a senior citizen, court documents state.

A superseding indictment in the case alleged that Thomas, Page and Brewer met on July 9, 2011 to discuss the case prosecutors had against them. In that conversation, the three conspired against Dwight Hicks, who they thought could provide information about the case to police. The following morning, Hicks was found shot in Capitol Heights, Md, court documents state.

According to plea documents, the night Reese was killed Thomas, Brewer, Page, and Hicks entered the lobby of Reese's apartment complex and took the elevator up to the seventh floor. The four then exited the elevator, and Thomas, Brewer and Page entered Reese's apartment. Reese was a military veteran who supplemented his retirement by selling cigarettes to neighbors in the community, court documents state.

When Reese's wife, Erika, attempted to enter the apartment, which she shared with her husband, it was shut closed from the inside. After hearing scuffling inside the apartment, she began to scream, documents state.

Brewer then opened the door and pulled Reese's wife inside the apartment and threw her toward a living room sofa, court documents state. As she continued to scream Thomas put a blanket over her mouth to muffle her screams. Reese then grabbed Thomas, causing Page, who was holding a pistol, to shoot Reese several times.

The three men then took two bags and left Reese's apartment, ran down the stairs to the basement level, and exited the rear of the building, documents state.

An autopsy found that Reese died of multiple gunshots to the chest, abdomen and right thigh, documents state.

Plea documents state that detectives obtained video footage that shows the four men entering the apartment building and then gathering by the elevator on the first floor. Seven minutes later Brewer, Page and Thomas are seen moving quickly out of the basement level stairwell carrying two bags, court documents state.

Documents state that witnesses overheard Thomas admit to entering the apartment building to "rob the cigarette man."

Brewer and Page are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Herbert Dixon on Jan. 17, 2014.

Plea documents have been added to this post.

Page, Stephen Plea Documents (PDF)Page, Stephen Plea Documents (Text)

Brewer, James Plea Documents (PDF)Brewer, James Plea Documents (Text)

Anthony Thomas Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter in Death of Solomon Reese

Ivan Natividad — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 16:31:45 -0400

Anthony Thomas, one of three suspects charged in connection with the 2011 shooting death of 71-year-old Solomon Reese, pleaded guilty Friday to voluntary manslaughter while armed and related robbery offenses.

Prosecutors read the plea agreement and proffer of facts Friday during a sealed bench conference between Judge Herbert Dixon, Thomas, and counsel from both sides.

"We're trying to keep people from getting killed," prosecutor Gary Wheeler said Friday.

A spokesperson for the US Attorney's office said no plea documents are public for this case.

Police found Reese June 27, 2011 at approximately 9:31 p.m. in his apartment on the 2300 block of Good Hope Road Southeast suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Thomas, 25, was arrested one month later and charged with first-degree felony murder in connection with Reese's death. Codefendants, Stephen Page and James Brewer, were arrested several weeks before Thomas and also charged with Reese's murder.

Charging documents allege that Thomas, Brewer, Page and a fourth person had conspired to rob Reese at his apartment. Reese was shot in the course of the robbery, and cigarettes and two leather bags were taken, documents state.

The three codefendants were indicted last year on 13 counts of first-degree felony murder, obstruction, conspiracy, burglary and armed robbery of a senior citizen, court documents state.

A superseding indictment alleged that Thomas, Page and Brewer met on July 9, 2011 to discuss the case prosecutors had against them. In that conversation, the three conspired the murder of Dwight Hicks, who they thought could provide information about the case to police. The following morning, Hicks was found shot in Capitol Heights, Md. at around 12:42 a.m., court documents state.

The case is scheduled for a status hearing December 3 with Judge Dixon.

Obstruction Charges for Men Suspected of Killing Murder Case Witness

Laura Amico — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:22:08 -0400

Three men charged with killing 71-year-old Solomon Reese have now also been formally charged with obstruction of justice in connection with the shooting death of one of the witnesses in the case.

James Brewer, Stephen Page, and Anthony Thomas, pled innocent to the charge in court Thursday.

The charge was part of a superseding indictment. Brewer, Page, and Thomas pled innocent in April to charges including first-degree murder while armed and burglary. That indictment alleges that Brewer, Page, Thomas, and a fourth person conspired to rob Reese at his Southeast DC apartment in June 2011. Once they arrived at the apartment, they threatened and fought with Reese and another person who lived at his home. After shooting Reese, they took two leather bags and cigarettes.

The superseding indictment alleges that Brewer, Page, and Thomas met on July 9, 2011 to discuss the status of the case against them and, in that conversation, discussed killing Dwight Hicks, who they believed could provide information about the case to detectives. Later that same day Brewer and Page drove Hicks to Prince George's County to kill him.

Hicks was found shot in Capitol Heights, Md. at about 12:42 a.m. on July 10, 2011. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

The superseding indictment also formally adds Bradley Allen as a co-defendant in the case, charging him with helping James Brewer escape from custody while at DC Superior Court.

Brewer is accused of exchanging identification bracelets with Allen and using Allen's name when asked to identify himself. Brewer, posing as Allen, was released from custody and walked out of the courthouse and away from the felony murder charge.

Allen is expected in court July 3 to answer to the charge.

Read the indictment below:

Men Charged in Killing of Solomon Reese Plead Innocent

Laura Amico — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:19:48 -0400

Three men accused in the shooting death of 71-year-old Solomon Reese have been charged with first-degree felony murder, in addition to conspiracy, burglary, and the armed robbery of a senior citizen.

James Brewer, Stephen Page, and Anthony Thomas were indicted on the charges Tuesday. They each pled innocent to the charges.

The thirteen count indictment in the case alleges that Brewer, Page, Thomas, and a fourth person conspired to rob Reese at his Southeast DC apartment. Once they arrived at the apartment, they threatened and fought with Reese and another person who lived at his home. After shooting Reese, they took two leather bags and cigarettes.

A jury trial is scheduled for Sept. 4.

Man Who Helped Murder Suspect James Brewer Escape From DC Court Charged as Co-Defendant in Murder Case

Laura Amico — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:22:07 -0400

A 30-year-old man suspected of switching court identification bracelets with murder suspect James Brewer has been added to Brewer's case as a co-defendant.

Appearing in court Thursday, Bradley Allen waived his right to a preliminary hearing on a charge of aiding and abetting. Prosecutor Sharad Khandelwal said Allen is charged as an accessory after the fact and that the case will be indicted together with those of the three men charged with killing Solomon Reese.

According to charging documents in the case, Allen switched identification bracelets with Brewer and gave him his phone number. When Brewer appeared before the court to be presented, he posed as Allen, stating Allen's name and signing it to court documents along with Allen's phone number. As Allen, Brewer was released from custody.

Allen initially told U.S. Marshals that his bracelet "had inadvertently come off" and didn't know what had happened to it. He later said someone had taken his bracelet from him. Later he said he had given it to Brewer. Allen said Brewer had offered him money for helping him escape.

Charging documents are below.

Potential Witness in Solomon Reese Homicide Killed in PG County, Prosecutor Says

Laura Amico — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:03:31 -0400

On video surveillance from the Southeast D.C. apartment building where Solomon Reese was killed in June, a black male, of a slim build, is seen leading Stephen Page, Anthony Thomas and James Brewer into the building.

According to charging documents, that person is Dwight Hicks, a 26-year-old man who lived in that same Good Hope Road building.

On July 10, Hicks was killed in Prince George's County. In court Thursday, Prosecutor Sharad Khandelwal said Hicks had been a potential witness in the case.

A Prince George's County Police spokesman said detectives there have not many any arrests in Hick's death and they have not determined whether or not Hick's murder is related to Reese's murder.

Charging documents in Reese's murder allege that defendants Stephen Page, Anthony Thomas and James Brewer were frequent visitors of Hicks' on Good Hope Road. Reese lived in the same building as Hicks, and authorities believe that Page, Thomas and Brewer intended to rob him on June 27.

At a preliminary hearing Thursday and Friday, attorneys for the men disagreed, saying that there was no evidence that Reese was robed the night he was killed.

Detective Jonathan Clingerman testified that three suspects are seen leaving Reese's apartment building shortly after Reese was killed with a bag that belonged to Reese. Reese generally kept loose change, papers, cigarretts and lighters in the bag, Clingerman said.

Thomas' attorney, Ferris Bond, questioned why anyone would want to steal a bag with such paltry items in it.

"Our contention is it wasn't a robbery," he said.

Said Brewer's attorney, Michael Satin, "it's not clear that what happened was an armed robbery."

Brewer, 25, was arrested July 14 in connection with Reese's killing. He escaped from D.C. Superior Court, and was rearrested July 16.

Page, 18, was arrested July 14.

Thomas, who will be 23 on Saturday, was presented with a charge of felony murder while armed in the case on July 25. It was not immediately clear when he was arrested.

On Friday, Judge Thomas Motley found probable cause to believe that the men committed first-degree murder while armed and ordered each of them held at least until their next court date, scheduled for Nov. 2.

18-year-old Arrested in Connection with Solomon Reese Homicide

Laura Amico — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 08:35:23 -0400

An 18-year-old DC man was arrested Thursday afternoon in connection with the fatal shooting of 71-year-old Solomon Reese, MPD reports.

Stephen Bernard Page, Jr is facing a charge of first-degree murder while armed in the case.

Page is the second person arrested in the case. Last week James Brewer was presented with a charge of first-degree murder while armed. In Brewer's charging documents, prosecutors described four suspects caught on surveillance video near the apartment where Reese was killed.

MPD's press release is after the jump.

July 22, 2011

Second Arrest Made in the Homicide of Solomon Reese

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced an arrest in the fatal shooting which occurred in the 2300 block of Good Hope Road, SE.

On Monday, June 27, 2011, at approximately 9:31 pm, units from the Sixth District responded to the 2300 block of Good Hope Road, SE to investigate the trouble. Upon arriving on the scene, officers located an adult male victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel transported the victim to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injury and was pronounced dead.

The decedent has been identified as 71 year-old Solomon Reese of Southeast, Washington, DC.

On Thursday, July 14th, 2011, at approximately 1:30 pm, members of the Homicide Branch arrested an adult male pursuant to a DC Superior Court warrant charging him with Felony Murder while Armed.

On Thursday, July 21, 2011, at approximately 12:20 pm, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 18-year-old Stephen Bernard Page, Jr, of Northwest Washington, DC, pursuant to a DC Superior Court warrant charging him with First Degree Felony Murder while Armed.

James Brewer held on Murder Charge after Court Escape

Laura Amico — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:23:25 -0400

It was James Brewer's second court appearance in four days, but the first one in which he gave his real name.

Shackled and flanked by US Marshals, Brewer appeared in DC Superior Court Monday afternoon to be presented with the felony murder charge authorities had anticipated presenting him with on Friday.

That plan was foiled when Brewer exchanged identification bracelets with another defendant and called out that man's name when asked to identify himself. Brewer, posing as the other defendant, was released from custody, walked out of the courthouse and away from the felony murder charge.

"It's clear he was scared and frightened of being convicted of something he didn't commit," his defense attorney, Michael Satin, said Monday.

Brewer is suspected in the shooting death of Solomon Reese inside an apartment in Southeast DC on June 27.

According to charging documents in the case, Brewer is believed to be one of four men involved in a fatal robbery attempt on Solomon.

Court and jail records indicate that none of the three other suspects are currently in custody or have been charged in the case.

Charging documents allege that three of the suspects entered Reese's apartment and began assaulting him. When someone returned to the apartment from taking out the trash, that person was assaulted, too. Reese was shot and a witness saw the men running from the apartment with a black bag. Investigators say that bag was Reese's and that it contained his personal papers.

At Brewer's court appearance Monday, Judge Howze ordered him held on the "substantial probability he is one of the persons that participated" in Reese's murder.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 1 at 9 a.m. in front of Judge Thomas Motley.

James Brewer Rearrested after Escaping from DC Court

Laura Amico — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 15:45:50 -0400

MyFoxDC and NBC Washington report that 24-year-old James Brewer is back in custody after escaping from US Marshals at D.C. Superior Court on Friday.

Brewer is suspected of killing Solomon Reese in Southeast DC on June 27.

MyFoxDC: Murder Suspect Escaped from D.C. Superior Court

Laura Amico — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 22:35:53 -0400

MyFoxDC is reporting tonight that James Dean Brewer escaped today from D.C. Superior Court where he was detained by US Marshals pending the presentment of a felony murder charge.

Brewer, 24, was arrested Thursday in connection with the fatal shooting of 71 year-old Solomon Reese.

Reports MyFoxDC:

Sources say Brewer went before the judge posing as another man and was then allowed to walk out of D.C. Superior Court. He was waiting to be arraigned when he escaped.

D.C. Police have broadcast an all points bulletin for Brewer, who is believed to be in plain clothes.

The U.S. Marshals Service has also assembled a task force team to help look for Brewer and are offering a $5,000 reward for his capture.

In their report, Brewer, whose nickname is "Sticky," was described as a black male, 5'9" and 180 pounds. He wears shoulder length dreadlocks.

Murder Suspect, James Brewer, Escapes Custody From DC Superior Court: MyFoxDC.com

James Dean Brewer Arrested in Connection with Fatal Shooting of Solomon Reese

Laura Amico — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 19:27:39 -0400

A 24-year-old Southeast D.C. man was arrested ~~today~~ Thursday in connection with the fatal shooting of Solomon Reese last month.

James Dean Brewer is suspected of felony murder while armed, MPD officials said in a press release.

Reese was 71 years old when he was shot and killed June 27 on Good Hope Road, SE.

MPD's press release is after the jump.

July 15, 2011

Arrest Made in Homicide in the 2300 block of Good Hope Road, SE

( Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced an arrest in the fatal shooting which occurred in the 2300 block of Good Hope Road, SE.

On Monday, June 27, 2011, at approximately 9:31 pm, units from the Sixth District responded to the 2300 block of Good Hope Road, SE to investigate the trouble. Upon arriving on the scene, officers located an adult male victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel transported the victim to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injury and was pronounced dead.

The decedent has been identified as 71 year-old Solomon Reese of Southeast, Washington, DC.

On Thursday, July 14th , 2011, at a approximately 1:30 pm, members of the Homicide Branch arrested 24-year-old James Dean Brewer of SE, Washington, DC. He was charged with Felony Murder While Armed in connection with the homicide of Solomon Reese.

This post has been updated with the correct day of Brewer's arrest.

Funeral Thursday for Solomon Reese Jr.

Laura Amico — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:41:24 -0400

A funeral is planned for Thursday for Solomon Reese Jr, who was killed in a shooting in Southeast DC on June 27.

Reese was 71 years old and a resident of Southeast DC.

According to his obituary, he is survived by his wife, three brothers and nine sisters.

For more information about the service, see Reese's obituary on Legacy.com.

Solomon Reese Killed in SE DC Shooting

Laura Amico — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 19:00:17 -0400

Seventy-one year-old Solomon Reese of Southeast DC was killed Monday night in a shooting, MPD reports.

According to a press release, Reese was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the 2300 block of Good Hope Road, SE. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.