Vincent Purvis | Homicide Watch DC

Murder Charge Dropped in Case Against Robert Osborne

Imari Williams — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 17:49:04 -0400

Prosecutors dismissed a charge of second-degree murder Wednesday in the case against Robert Osborne for the murder of Vincent Purvis on January 15.

According to spokesperson William Miller, there was insufficient evidence to move forward and the case is still under investigation.

Osborne was arrested ten days after Purvis's death on suspicion of second-degree murder. He later was released on high intensity supervision on February 13 while a grand jury investigated the case.

Purvis was found suffering from multiple gun shot wounds in the 600 block of Yuma Street Southeast. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

On the day Purvis was killed, a silver Impala was seen driving in the 600 block of Yuma Street Southeast, charging documents say. Witnesses told police that someone inside the vehicle fired multiple shots at Purvis, knocking him to the ground. According to documents, when he attempted to stand, the car door opened and Purvis was shot once more and collapsed.

Robert Osborne Released into High Intensity Supervision While Grand Jury Investigated Murder Charge

Kristian Hernandez — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 20:21:33 -0500

Robert Osborne was released from jail custody Wednesday despite a finding of probable cause in the murder charge against him.

Osborne, 41, is suspected in the shooting death of 20-year-old Vincent Purvis.

Judge Robert Richter ordered him into high intensity supervision while a grand jury investigates the case.

Purvis was killed January 15 in a drive-by shooting on Yuma Street Southeast D.C. near the closed Ferebee-Hope Elementary School. According to eyewitness reports, someone inside the a silver vehicle fired multiple shots aimed at Purvis.

Ten days later, Osborne was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder.

Charging documents state that police later found the vehicle was a rental car registered to Osborne. In an interview with police, Osborne said he knew nothing about the shooting, and he had parked his rental car in a lot a half hour before the shooting. Osborne told police that he then left with a female friend whom he spent the rest of the day with.

In a previous hearing, Osborne’s defense attorney, James Whitehead, argued that the government’s case is based on circumstantial evidence, and that no witnesses have identified Osborne as the primary shooter.

A status conference was scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on April 28, 2014.

Documents Detail Midday Drive-by That Killed Vincent Purvis

Ivan Natividad — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 19:22:33 -0500

Vincent Purvis was gunned down in broad daylight during a drive-by shooting on Yuma Street Southeast, according to court documents released Monday.

Robert Osborne, who was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of second-degree murder, will remain in custody pending a preliminary hearing next month. Osborne, 41, is paralyzed from the chest down and attended a presentment Monday in a wheelchair.

Witnesses told police that on Jan. 15--the day 20-year-old Purvis was killed--a silver Impala was seen driving in the 600 block of Yuma Street Southeast, charging documents say.

Someone inside the vehicle fired multiple shots at Purvis, knocking him to the ground, a witness told police. When he attempted to stand up, a door to the car opened and Purvis was shot again and collapsed.

Another witness saw the silver car flee the scene moments after hearing gunshots, with its front rear window shot out, according to charging documents.

Hours after the shooting, police found a 2013 silver Chevrolet Impala on fire just two miles from the crime scene, court documents say.

The car had multiple gunshots to the rear of the car and was missing glass from the rear driver side window. The vehicle was a rental car registered under Osborne's name, documents state.

Police found Purvis on January 15 at approximately 3:29 p.m. in the 600 block of Yuma Street Southeast suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

More than a week later Osborne, 41, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection with Purvis' death.

In an interview with police, Osborne said he knew nothing about the shooting, and that he parked the rental car in a lot half an hour before the shooting. He then left with a female friend who he spent the rest of the day with, Osborne said according to charging documents.

But phone records obtained by police show that Osborne's cell phone was 2,000 feet from the crime scene just minutes after the shooting, court documents say.

At the hearing, prosecutors argued that Osborne was the sole renter of the car seen at the crime scene, and that at the least participated in Purvis' death. But Osborne's defense attorney, James Whitehead, said that the government's case is based on circumstantial evidence, with no witnesses who have identified Osborne as the primary shooter.

The case is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 7 with Judge John Ramsey Johnson.

Charging documents are below.

Robert Osborne Charging Doc (PDF)Robert Osborne Charging Doc (Text)

Robert Osborne Arrested in Death of Vincent Purvis

Chris Amico — Sat, 25 Jan 2014 18:46:36 -0500

A Rockville, Md., man has been arrested in the shooting death of 20-year-old Vincent Purvis.

Robert Osborne, 41, was arrested on Saturday morning around 7:50 a.m. on suspicion of second-degree murder.

Police found Purvis unconscious with multiple gunshot wounds near the closed Ferebee-Hope Elementary School on Jan. 15.

A press release from MPD is below:

(Washington, DC) – Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that an arrest has been made in the homicide which occurred in the 600 block of Yuma Street, Southeast.

On Wednesday, January 15, 2014, at approximately 3:29 pm, members from the Seventh District responded to a call for the sounds of gunshots in the 600 block of Yuma Street, Southeast. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel transported the victim to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The decedent has been identified as 20-year-old Vincent Purvis of Southeast, Washington, DC.

On January 25, 2014, at approximately 7:50 am, 41-year-old Robert Osborne of Rockville, Maryland, was arrested by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force pursuant to a DC Superior Court arrest warrant charging him with Second Degree Murder in the homicide of Vincent Purvis.

Vincent Purvis Killed in Shooting Near Closed Southeast School

Chris Amico — Wed, 15 Jan 2014 22:59:51 -0500

A press release from MPD has been added to the bottom of this post.

A shooting near the closed Ferebee-Hope Elementary School campus killed 20-year-old Vincent Purvis on Wednesday afternoon, according to multiple reports.

Purvis was found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, NBC washington reported.

Crews responded to the corner of 8th and Yuma streets SE around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday for a shooting. There, they found 20-year-old Vincent Purvis suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Officials told News4 Purvis had been transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition. He was pronounced dead later that evening.

Police Chief Cathy Lanier called the shooting "brazen," according to the Post.

From MPD:

January 15, 2014

Homicide: 600 Block of Yuma Street, Southeast

(Washington, DC) – Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide which occurred in the 600 block of Yuma Street, Southeast.

On Wednesday, January 15, 2014, at approximately 3:29 pm, members from the Seventh District responded to a call for the sounds of gunshots in the 600 block of Yuma Street, Southeast. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel transported the victim to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The decedent has been identified as 20-year-old Vincent Purvis of Southeast, Washington, DC.

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.