Homicide Watch D.C.

As detectives tell it, when then-19-year-old Rashid Caviness-Bey was waiting for police to interview him about the shooting death of Osman Al-Akbar, a shooting detectives believed he was involved in, Caviness-Bey yelled out to a teen one room over.

“Cop to that junt,” Caviness-Bey yelled out to the 15-year-old, encouraging the younger suspect to take the full weight of the murder.

On Tuesday, nearly a year and ten months later, Cavines-Bey stood trial, charged with felony murder for Al-Akbar’s death. His attorney, Mani Golzari pinned blame on that 15-year-old and said Caviness-Bey, now 20, is innocent.
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A year after Yolando Stone’s death, the man accused of killing her is in custody in Pennsylvania. Reynard Cook, accused of shooting Stone in front of their children, has been arrested near State College, Penn.

“We are so thankful that he has been caught,” Stone’s sister, Desirae Ross said Monday evening. “The healing process can now begin. It’s been a long time coming and he deserves to pay for what he did to my sister and to his own children.”

“Yolanda died exactly one year ago on May 20, 2012,” Yalonda Dunschee, a friend of the family, said. “So you can only imagine how happy we are.” Read more

The 28-year-old man accused in the stabbing death of Stephan Manuel Pool will undergo further mental health treatment and tests before proceeding to trial.

At a hearing Monday, Judge John Johnson ruled that Leon Allen Smith could not be found mentally competent to stand trial at this time and needed further treatment.
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A shooting in Northeast DC early Saturday morning left 21-year-old Dontel Price dead.

In a press release, MPD said that Fifth District units found Price injured when they responded to the sound of gunshots in the unit block of S Street, NE.
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One year has passed since the death of Yolanda Stone, and her suspected killer remains on the run. It is not uncommon for a homicide case to remain open because an arrest has not been made, but Stone’s case is different; her alleged killer is her ex-boyfriend, Reynard Cook, and he has been on the run ever since he allegedly shot Stone several times in front of their children Feb. 15, 2012.

Stone later died from her injuries on May 20, 2012; a medical examiner pronounced her death a homicide a day later.

In the year since, Stone’s sister, Desirae Ross, and Stone’s three children have left the D.C. area. She says her family fears returning to the District with Cook at large.
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In brief:

Charles Garris, a 28-year-old Southwest DC man, was found dead Thursday afternoon inside an apartment of an apparant gunshot wound. His death has been ruled a homicide, MPD announced Saturday afternoon.

A review of Homicide Watch DC’s databases revealed that at the current rate, D.C. could end 2013 with fewer homicides than the milestone-breaking 92 that occurred last year. To date, 24 homicides, have been reported, nine fewer than there were at this point in 2012. Ten of those 24 cases have been closed with an arrest.

Michael Davis was found competent to stand trial for a series of hammer attacks that took place over three days last year, one of which resulted in the death of 66-year-old Gary Dederichs. Davis has received mental health treatment since his arrest nearly one year ago.

Jermaine Livingston was arrested Tuesday morning in connection with the 2011 shooting death of 34-year-old Antwain Henderson of Capitol Heights, Md. Livingston is the fourth suspect arrested in the case.

Linda Lee Bury, one of two teens charged in connection with the shooting death of Quadaar Muhammad, a D.C. taxi driver, pled guilty in connection with the case Wednesday, although court documents do not make it clear as to what charge.

Felicia Jones was sentenced Friday to six years in prison in connection with the stabbing death of 30-year-old Jodie Lamont Ward.

Brandon Andrews was sentenced to 39 and a half years in prison for the August 2011 shooting death of 43-year-old Leonard Bigelow.

Ronald Page on Friday turned down a second plea offer. Page is charged with second-degree murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and three firearm possession charges in connection with the death of his step-son, 22-year-old Nicholas Ray Satcher.

Two of the six co-defendants in the murder of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier were sentenced by Judge William Jackson Friday: Laurence Hassan received an 18-year prison sentence; Cinthya Proctor received a 21-year sentence.

A 28 year old Southwest DC man was found dead Thursday afternoon inside an apartment of an apparant gunshot wound. His death has been ruled a homicide, MPD announced Saturday afternoon.

The man, identified as Charles Garris, was found by police in the 1200 block of Talbert Street, SE at about 3:32 p.m.

A press release from MPD is after the jump.
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Each week, Homicide Watch brings you a list of upcoming hearings in the cases we follow. All hearings are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. unless otherwise noted. To add an item to the listing, email homicidewatchdc [at] gmail.com. To see scheduled court hearings beyond next week, see our calendar.
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Two of the six co-defendants in the murder of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier were sentenced by Judge William Jackson Friday: Laurence Hassan received an 18-year prison sentence; Cinthya Proctor received a 21-year sentence.

Brian Gaither was sentenced to 32 years in prison in April. The remaining co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.
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Prosecutors have been in plea discussions with Ronald Page since at least November 2012, but Friday, Page turned down a second plea offer. Page is charged with second-degree murder, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon and three firearm possession charges in connection with the death of his step-son, 22-year-old Nicholas Ray Satcher.

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