Homicide Watch DC

Sat. Morning Shooting Kills Dontel Price, 21

2013-05-19T18:35:15-04:00

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.

Price was transported to a hospital and later died.

A press release from MPD is below.

May 19, 2013

Homicide: Unit block of S Street, NE

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a fatal shooting which occurred in the Unit block of S Street, Northeast.

On Saturday, May 18, 2013 at approximately 3:20 am, units from the Fifth District responded to the sound of gunshots report in the Unit block of S Street, Northeast. Upon their arrival, they located an adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Personnel from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent is identified as 21-year-old Dontel Price of Northeast, 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.

'As Long As He's On the Streets, I'll Never Come Back to D.C.,' Sister Says of Yolanda Stone's Alleged Killer

2013-05-19T09:33:32-04:00

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, Reynaud Cook, and he has been on the run ever since he 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.

“We just want Cook off the streets,” Ross said.

She says she’d like to return, but “as long as he’s on the streets, I’ll never come back to D.C.,” Ross said.

Reynard Cook, in an MPD photograph.

Although Cook has yet to be apprehended, a grand jury indicted him on charges of first-degree murder, first- and second-degree cruelty to children, contempt and weapons charges in connection with the case. A bench warrant has been issued for his arrest.

The case continues to be investigated; Metropolitan Police Detective Dwayne Partman took over investigation of the case after the previous detective, Monica Shields, retired in November. Partman said that he is currently working leads as to where Cook may be. He would not comment on whether he believed Cook to be in D.C.

Ross believes that Cook remains in the area.

“Somebody out there knows where he is,” Ross said.

Ross said Stone and Cook’s relationship lasted for nearly nine years. Stone “never really talked about the relationship,” she said.

But Ross said she later learned of a pattern of domestic abuse. Stone told her sister in June 2011 Cook had physically abused her after an incident that landed Stone in a battered women’s shelter. Cook fled the home before police arrived.

Police took Stone to the battered woman's shelter and she stayed there for a month and a half. She then decided to leave Cook, and a restraining order was issued against him, Ross said.

After Stone left the woman's shelter she went to live with Ross; the only contact Stone had with Cook was when they spoke about their children. And when Stone dropped the kids off at their father's house, she wouldn't get out of the car, Ross said.

Stone's refusal to have face-to-face contact frustrated Cook, so he began following her home from work. Security guards escorted Stone to her car each evening and Cook eventually stopped, Ross said.

It was confusion over a restraining order, though, that shattered their uneasy standoff.

On Feb. 15, 2012, Neval Thomas Elementary School called Cook and asked him to pick up one of the children, who was sick. Stone had forgotten to give school officials a copy of the restraining order against Cook, because it was filed during the summer when school wasn’t in session, Ross said. School officials released the child to Cook.

Cook called Stone and told her that he had their child. Stone then picked up her daughter and nephew, and went to Cook's house.

Neighbors say there was an argument outside and then they heard gunshots, Ross said.

Stone was found seriously wounded by police responding to the gunshots. She was taken to a hospital where she survived until her death approximately three months later.

MPD says "anyone who has knowledge of this case, knows the suspect’s location or sees him should take no action, but should immediately call police at 202-727-9099. Additionally information may be submitted to the TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411. The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia."

Week in Review

2013-05-19T09:17:15-04:00

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.

Charles Garris, 28, Found Dead in SE DC Thursday

2013-05-18T18:20:50-04:00

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.

May 18, 2013

Homicide: 1200 Block of Talbert Street, Southeast

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a fatal shooting which occurred in the 1200 block of Talbert Street, Southeast.

On Thursday, May 16, 2013, at approximately 3:32 pm, units from the Seventh District responded to the 1200 block of Talbert Street, SE for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they located an adult male inside an apartment suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the scene and determined that the victim had no signs consistent with life. The decedent remained on the scene and was later transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia, pending an autopsy.

The decedent is identified as 28 year old Charles Garris of Southwest, 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.

Week Ahead

2013-05-18T08:25:43-04:00

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.

On Monday, Rashid Caviness-Bey is expected to stand trial on a charge of first-degree murder. He's suspected in the Aug. 17, 2011 shooting death of Osman Al-Akbar. The trial is scheduled with Judge Lynn Leibovitz.

Wednesday, Jekwan Smith is scheduled for a status hearing with Judge Herbert Dixon at 9:15 a.m. Smith is suspected in the Sept. 24, 2011, death of Isaiah Sheffield.

Friday

Judge Johnson is expecting Jermaine Livingston for a preliminary hearing at 10:30 a.m. Livingston is suspected in the Aug. 31, 2011 death of Antwain Henderson. Anthony Campbell, also suspected in Henderson's death, is expected for a status hearing with Judge Johnson at 9:30 that same morning.

Judge Johnson is also expecting John Bolton for sentencing. Bolton was found guilty of second-degree murder in the May 24, 2011 death of Christopher Fletcher. That hearing is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Daren Vaughn is expected for a motions hearing with Judge Johnson. Vaughn is suspected in the Sept. 27, 2012, death of Tyrell Avery Swann.

DaQuan Tinker is expected for arraignment on a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the Aug. 5, 2012 death of Terrence Robinson. Judge Robert Morin will preside.

Judge Dixon is expecting Deangelo Williams for a preliminary hearing. Williams is suspected in the Feb. 19, 2011 death of Lucki Nancy Pannell.

Judge Dixon is also expecting Antoine Little and Joshua Johnson for status hearings. Little is suspected in the June 25, 2012, death of James Eric Cain. Johnson is suspected in the July 8, 2012, death of Davon Brown.

Judge Canan is expecting Herbert Hayes for a status hearing. Hayes is suspected in the May 18, 2012, death of John Wesley Griffin.

Please remember that court dates can change, even at the last minute. To view the docket of a case please go to the D.C. Courts website and search by the defendant’s name.

"It wasn't supposed to go down like this," Hassan Says at Sentencing for Latisha Frazier Death

2013-05-17T18:21:47-04:00

Brian Gaither was sentenced to 32 years in prison in April. The remaining co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced later this year.

At the trial of Johnny Sweet, co-defendant Lanee Bell testified that Frazier's death was a brutal beating fueled by “peer pressure.”

Hassan said Friday that Frazier was his friend and that the beating was never supposed to result in her death.

“I extremely apologize,” Hassan said while addressing Frazier's family. “If I could change the past I would; it truly hurts. It wasn't supposed to go down like this. I really want you all to forgive me; I take full responsibility for my actions.”

On August 2, 2010, Sweet and his accomplices lured Frazier to his house where she was punched, stomped, taped, gagged and choked before being tossed in a closet where she eventually died, all because Sweet believed that she had stolen $900 from him.

Sweet, Proctor and Gaither later attempted to dismember Frazier's body but failed; it was then tossed in a dumpster in the 1700 block of Trenton Place Southeast and never found. Prosectors believe Frazier's body is now in the Shoosmith Landfill in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Kavanaugh said Friday that although the six co-defendants are equally responsible for Frazier's murder, the government “attempted to tailor sentencing to each defendant's individual acts.”

Hassan, Kavanaugh said, was involved in luring Frazier to her death and then assumed a leadership role in the disposal of her body. Before Gaither and Antoine McCullough dragged Frazier's body to a dumpster, Hassan drove around D.C. looking for a park to dump it. He never actually laid a hand on Frazier during the beating, Kavanaugh said.

In addition to punching Frazier, Proctor helped tape her hands, feet and mouth; she also helped Sweet and Gaither attempt to dismember the body, Kavanaugh told the court.

Barry Campbell, Frazier's biological father, addressed the court at sentencing and spoke of the emotional distress the family has endured.

“The loss of my daughter has been very traumatic for our entire family,” Campbell said. “We miss her laughter and all of the wonderful things we used to do together.”

Before reading the terms of his sentence, Judge Jackson said that the government had no proof that Frazier ever stole money from Sweet. Moreover, Frazier was the only one in the group to have a job, he said.

“This is one of the worst cases I have ever presided over,” Jackson said.

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's office is below.

District Man and Woman Sentenced to Prison Terms For Their Roles in Killing of 18-Year-Old Latisha Frazier Victim’s Body Was Left in a Dumpster, Never Found; Two Defendants Are Among Seven People Convicted in Case

WASHINGTON – Cinthya Proctor, 21, and Laurence Hassan, 24, were sentenced today to prison terms for second-degree murder and other charges in the August 2010 kidnapping and murder of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.

Proctor was sentenced to 21 years of incarceration on charges of second-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to commit evidence tampering. Hassan was sentenced to an 18-year prison term for second-degree murder and kidnapping. Both defendants, of Washington, D.C., were sentenced in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by the Honorable William M. Jackson. Upon completion of their prison terms, they will be placed on five years of supervised release.

Proctor, who pled guilty in July 2011, and Hassan, who pled guilty in October 2011, are among six defendants who have pled guilty to charges related to the killing. A seventh defendant was found guilty by a jury last month of first-degree felony murder and other charges.

According to the government’s evidence, Proctor and Hassan were part of a group of six young men and women who took part in the murder of Ms. Frazier.

Ms. Frazier vanished on Aug. 2, 2010. For months, her family relentlessly sought to find her, passing out flyers and contacting local news stations to publicize her disappearance. In late January 2011, one witness finally stepped forward and contacted the Metropolitan Police Department, revealing the truth of Ms. Frazier’s whereabouts.

On the day of her disappearance, the government’s evidence showed, Ms. Frazier had been brutally murdered by the group of six men and women (ages 16 to 23), all of whom she believed to be her friends. The group had suspected - with little evidence - that Ms. Frazier had stolen about $900 from one of the men, Johnnie Sweet. He recruited others and exacted a plan of revenge in which they would call her over to an apartment where they claimed to be socializing.

When Ms. Frazier arrived at the apartment in the 1700 block of Trenton Place SE, the group took her to a small bedroom where Sweet and others punched, kicked, and stomped her all over her body. Ignoring her pleas for them to stop, they bound her in duct tape, taped a pillowcase over her head so she could not scream, and shoved her in a small, dark closet. When she screamed and moaned, one of the members of the group placed her in a sleeper hold to “put her to sleep.” Later, the group discovered that she had died.

Upon learning that Ms. Frazier had died, Proctor took part in a discussion about what to do with her body. The initial plan was to dismember the body, put it in a container, and dispose of it in a park. The next day, Proctor joined in an attempt to dismember the body in a bathtub. But she became physically ill and went to a hospital before the body was removed from the apartment. That evening, Ms. Frazier’s body was thrown into a dumpster, and it is now believed to be somewhere in one or two landfills in rural Virginia.

In addition to Proctor and Hassan, those pleading guilty include Brian Gaither, 25, who was sentenced in April 2013 to a 32-year prison term after pleading guilty to first-degree murder; Anneka Nelson, 18, who pled guilty to second-degree murder and kidnapping; Lanee Bell, 19, who pled guilty to kidnapping, and Antoine McCullough, 27, who pled guilty to conspiracy to commit evidence tampering. Except for Gaither, the other defendants are awaiting sentencing.

Sweet, 19, was found guilty by a jury on April 30, 2013, of first-degree felony murder with aggravating circumstances; first-degree premeditated murder with aggravating circumstances; kidnapping, and tampering with physical evidence. The Honorable Russell F. Canan scheduled sentencing for July 11, 2013. Sweet faces a mandatory minimum of 30 years and a maximum of 60 years of incarceration.

In announcing today’s sentences, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), including detectives from the Major Case/Cold Case Squad and the Seventh District.

They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Larry Grasso of the Criminal Intelligence Unit, Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, and Paralegal Specialists Kwasi Fields, Phaylyn Hunt, and Angela Lawrence. Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. Kavanaugh and Melinda Williams, who prosecuted the case.

Ronald Page Rejects a Second Plea Offer

2013-05-17T17:01:39-04:00

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.

"I'm not going to accept [the plea offer]," Page said, adding that it was, "solely my decision."

The revised offer would have come with a 48 month sentence. The deal was offered in the hope that the victim's family would not be subject to further hardship said the prosecution.

Page is accused of shooting his step-son on January 5, 2011, when Satcher intervened in a fight between Page and his biological son Adrian Page. Ronald Page claims that he planned to shoot at the ceiling, but faltered when the boys lunged at him.

With no plea agreement, the case will move forward to a trial. The prosecution promised a "fairly quick" trial of three to four days with no more than ten witnesses. The defense expressed their intent to call two or three witnesses.

Since his preliminary hearing in January 2011, Page has been under high-intensity supervision. As a condition of his release, Page cannot be near his home, nor can he have contact with his wife or sons.

A trial readiness hearing is scheduled for May 17th at 10:30 a.m..

Brandon Andrews Sentenced to 39 and a Half Years for Death of Leonard Bigelow

2013-05-17T16:18:16-04:00

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

A jury found Andrews, 31, guilty of second-degree murder in connection with the case in February.

In court Friday Andrews apologized for his actions: "[I'm] really sorry," he said.

At trial, Andrews testified that he was angry at Bigelow's sister after she ended their ten-month long relationship and refused to speak with him. After sending a series of threatening text messages to the sister, Andrews called the Bigelow's home and spoke with Leonard Bigelow. During that conversation, Bigelow told Andrews that his sister had no interest in speaking to him.

Andrews then went to the Bigelow's home and shot Leonard Bigelow on the house porch, killing him. Andrews later said Bigelow possessed a knife, so he shot him.

Bigelow's sister, Katina Bigelow, addressed the court Friday and said that the trial has negatively impacted her family's health.

"Our family would be happy if Mr. Andrews would never see the light of day again," Katina Bigelow said. "He took a very important person out of our lives."

A press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office is below.

District Man Sentenced to 39 ½-Year Prison Term In 2011 Slaying in Northeast Washington
Defendant Came to Ex-Girlfriend’s House With Gun, Killed Her Brother and Shot at Her Father

WASHINGTON – Brandon Andrews, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 39 ½ years of incarceration on charges stemming from the killing of a man in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Andrews was found guilty in February 2013 by a jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia of second-degree murder in the slaying of his ex-girlfriend’s brother, Leonard Bigelow, 43. The jury also found him guilty of a charge of assault with a deadly weapon for shooting at Mr. Bigelow’s father; threats to injure, for threatening his ex-girlfriend, and related weapons offenses. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert E. Morin.

According to the government’s evidence, Andrews and Mr. Bigelow’s sister dated for approximately 10 months. However, on Aug. 22, 2011, she ended the relationship after Andrews threatened her while they were driving through the District of Columbia.

After the break-up, Andrews repeatedly tried to call and sent text messages to his ex-girlfriend, but she did not respond. Many of the defendant’s text messages included profanity, threats and demands that she answer him. Andrews also went by the Bigelow family home repeatedly, though he was uninvited and unwelcome.

On Aug. 23, 2011, for example, Mr. Bigelow was with his sister at their home when Andrews came by. Andrews and Mr. Bigelow argued when Mr. Bigelow informed Andrews that he was unwelcome and that his sister did not want to talk to him. Andrews’s ex-girlfriend became so concerned about his behavior that she sought a protective order from the Court the following day to keep Andrews away from her and her family.

On Aug. 25, 2011, Andrews demanded his clothing via text messages. The following day, the ex-girlfriend dropped off the clothes on a street corner near a homeless center in the 400 block of Second Street NW, where Andrews stood and resided. She did not give them to Andrews directly because she feared him. Later that day, Andrews sent text messages claiming that the clothes were taken by others before he could retrieve them. He also used profanity and threatened her property and her safety.

On the evening of Aug. 26, 2011, Andrews called and texted his ex-girlfriend multiple times, but she did not respond. Then, Andrews called her home. Mr. Bigelow answered the phone and told Andrews that his sister did not want to see him or speak to him. Andrews declared that he was coming to the home at approximately 10 p.m. Mr. Bigelow said that he would be there.

Andrews arrived about 10:45 p.m. with a loaded semi-automatic pistol in his pocket. He emerged from an alley and into the 1300 block of Emerald Street NE, and walked toward the house. Mr. Bigelow, his sister, and his father saw Andrews coming. Mr. Bigelow went onto the front porch with his father, while his sister called 911. Andrews stopped in front of the house and, without a word, shot at Mr. Bigelow and his father twice. He struck Mr. Bigelow with a bullet in the chest. Andrews then walked back the way he came. Mr. Bigelow collapsed and died that night from the gunshot wound.

On Aug. 27, 2011, law enforcement located Andrews at the corner of Fifth and F Streets NW. When he was arrested, he told the police that he had a gun in his pocket. The police found in his pocket the loaded.25 caliber semi-automatic pistol used to kill Mr. Bigelow.

At trial, Andrews claimed self-defense and alleged, among other claims, that at the time of the shooting Mr. Bigelow charged at him with some type of weapon in his hand. The government strongly disputed Andrews’ claim. According to the government’s evidence, Mr. Bigelow did not have a weapon and did not approach Andrews.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the detectives and officers of the Criminal Investigations Division and the First District of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI Fugitive Task Force. He also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Snyder, who secured the indictment in the case, Criminal Investigator John Marsh, Victim Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, Victim Witness Specialist Katina Adams-Washington, Leif Hickling of the Litigation Technology Unit, and Paralegal Specialist Marian Russell. Finally, he praised the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shana L. Fulton who tried the case.

Felicia Jones Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Death of Jodie Ward

2013-05-17T13:42:36-04:00

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

Jones, 31, was arrested for Ward's death on October 20, 2011, shortly after firefighters found Ward unconscious on the floor of Jones' Southeast DC home with a knife protruding from his ear; she was later charged with second-degree murder.

In a letter read in open court Friday, Jones said that Ward was “a friend that I cared about.”

“I apologize to Jodie’s family and I am sorry for their loss,” the letter said. “If I wasn’t on PCP, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Jones stood trial in January, but the jury in that trial would not reach a verdict. After two days of jury deliberations, jurors announced that they were deadlocked.

Six weeks later Jones plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

Jones testified at trial that she stabbed Ward after he slipped into a PCP-fueled rage and destroyed her child's playroom. Jones said that Ward dragged her upstairs, and during the struggle, she grabbed a knife and stabbed him in the ear.

“I feel like the sentence should have been higher," said Ward's aunt, Robin Ward, who attended the sentencing Friday. "She admitted to [the murder] on video.”

According to the plea agreement, Jones faced a sentence of five to six years in prison. The sentence to six years was the maximum allowed according to the terms of the agreement.

“There was a life lost here,” said Judge Ronna Beck. “That’s really what it comes down to.”

Linda Bury Pleads Guilty in Connection with Quadaar Muhammad Murder

2013-05-16T17:52:02-04:00

Linda Lee Bury, one of two teens charged in connection with the shooting death of 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.

According to documents obtained from D.C. Superior Court, Bury was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and second-degree murder. She waived her right to a grand jury investigation and the charges are listed as "information."

A document related to her plea does not list the charge or charges she pled guilty to.

The "information" states that on Nov. 7, 2012 Bury and co-defendant Joshua Mebane discussed committing a robbery. Mebane armed himself and Bury looked for a getaway car. They then got into a cab with the intention of robbing the driver, identified later as 44-year-old Quadaar Muhammad. Mebane shot Muhammad, the document states.

Muhammad was found dead in his Lincoln taxi that same day; the cab was engulfed in flames.

Two days later, police arrested Bury and Mebane, both 17, on charges of felony murder in connection with Muhammad's death.

According to court documents, during interrogation, Bury told detectives that she met Mebane online in Oct. 2012, and had just met him in person a week before Muhammad's death. The teens rented a room at a Motel 6 in D.C. on the day of the murder and were running low on money.

“Somebody has got to get it,” meaning they needed to get some money, Mebane said, according to the documents.

So, the teens walked to a Greyhound Bus station and hailed a cab: Muhammad's cab.

After giving Muhammad the destination—the rear of Hamilton Junior High School near the Motel 6—Mebane asked him if he had change for a “fifty.”

As the car approached the rear of the school, Mebane slipped a single black glove onto his right hand, then reached into his sports bag, pulled a black handgun and shot Muhammad in the back of the skull.

Bury told police that the taxi accelerated, drove over an embankment, and crashed into a tree. The teens then fled back to their hotel room, she said.

Bury is expected back in court August 20 for a status hearing before Judge Herbert Dixon.

A felony status conference is scheduled for Mebane June 28.

Bury's plea documents are below.

Year-to-Date: D.C. on Track to Break 2012 Homicide Milestone

2013-05-15T16:58:27-04:00

At the current rate, D.C. could end 2013 with fewer homicides than the milestone-breaking 92 that occurred last year.

If the rest of the year plays out identical to 2012, D.C. will end 2013 with 82 homicides, making it the lowest number in over 50 years.

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.

Other year-to-date stats of note:

The deadliest months have been January, February and March, with all three months experiencing six homicides. Last year, January and April were the deadliest months of the first quarter, with nine homicides each.

This year, D.C. has seen the death of one infant: Samauri Jenkins, and one teen: Darius Cannon. Excluding infants, no one under the age 18 was murdered in 2012.

One homicide case this year has been ruled self-defense; MPD closed six cases as self-defense in 2012.

D.C. Wards 7 and 8 have experienced the most homicides thus far this year, with six and seven, respectively. Through the first quarter of 2012, Wards 5 and 8 each experienced seven homicides, and Ward 7 experienced 14 homicides.

None of the traffic fatalities that have occurred in DC this year have been classified as homicides.

In an interview with Homicide Watch D.C. last year, Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy Lanier spoke of four tactics that have had a significant impact on reducing homicides. In an interview last week she said those efforts were contributing to this year's continuing decline.

“By focusing on gangs, guns and investing in technology in recent years, we have made a real impact on violent crime,” Lanier said in an email to Homicide Watch DC. “We have also developed trusting relationships with our communities, and we continue to receive valuable information to prevent crimes and close cases.”

Metropolitan Police have also placed a lot of effort into deterring youth from criminal activity by offering summer programs that keep them engaged throughout the summer. This year, MPD will hire more than 100 youth who applied through the Summer Youth Employment Program, said an MPD spokesperson.

MPD will also operate two summer camps that will include various speakers in the fields of forensic science and law enforcement, with advice on how to stay in school, plan a career and succeed. Beat the Streets, an effort in various DC communities that aims to bring youth and senior community members together and provide information on various educational opportunities, colleges, job corps and military programs, begins Friday.

Judge Orders Jermaine Livingston Held for Participation in Antwain Henderson Murder

2013-05-15T15:34:21-04:00

Judge Karen Howze found probable cause Wednesday that Jermaine Livingston participated in the 2011 shooting death of 34-year-old Antwain Henderson. Livingston, 41, was arrested Tuesday morning and remains held pending a preliminary hearing next week.

Livingston is the fourth suspect to be arrested in connection with Henderson's death.

Henderson’s body was found inside a burning vehicle in the 800 block of Balsamtree Place, Capitol Heights, Md, in the early morning hours of August 31, 2011. Police later determined that he had been shot and killed in the 5800 block of Field Place in Northeast D.C.

Arrest documents say witnesses told detectives that Anthony Campbell shot and killed Henderson because he was angry that Henderson told people that Campbell was an informant on a charge Henderson was convicted of in 2003.

According to witnesses, Henderson and Campbell were having an argument outside Campbell’s mother’s house in Northeast D.C. around 1:30 a.m. Aug. 31 when Campbell pulled a gun from his waistband and shot Henderson in the head. Arrest documents say that when police responded to the sound of gunshots near Campbell’s home, Livingston and Campbell dragged Henderson's body to the basement, where it stayed for at least an hour, before being tossed in the trunk of Henderson's vehicle.

Witnesses say that Phillip Glover then assisted Campbell in towing Henderson's car to Maryland where it was set on fire.

Documents say that in 2012, while incarcerated in Prince George's County, Livingston spoke with detectives and told them that he was inside Campbell’s residence in the 5800 block of Field Place the morning of the shooting, but did not have knowledge of Henderson's murder.

Judge Howze scheduled a preliminary hearing for May 24.

Fourth Suspect Arrested In Connection with 2011 Antwain Henderson Murder

2013-05-14T20:01:18-04:00

A Southeast D.C. man was arrested Tuesday morning in connection with the 2011 shooting death of 34-year-old Antwain Henderson of Capitol Heights, Md.

Prince George’s County Fire Department found Henderson's body inside a burning vehicle in the 800 block of Balsamtree Place, Capitol Heights, in the early morning hours of August 31, 2011.

The investigation of Henderson's death was turned over to Metropolitan Police after it was determined that he was shot and killed in the 5800 block of Field Place Northeast three hours prior.

Over the course of the following year, three people were arrested and charged in connection with Henderson's murder: Anthony Campbell, Phillip Glover and Sean Hawkins.

Jermaine Livingston, the fourth suspect, was arrested Tuesday morning; he will likely be presented with a charge of second-degree murder in connection with Henderson's death this week.

The MPD press release is below.

Additional Arrest Made in the Fatal Shooting in the 5800 Block of Field Place, NE

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch have announced that an additional arrest has been made in the fatal shooting which occurred in the 5800 block of Field Place, NE.

At approximately 4:40 am, on Wednesday, August 31, 2011, Prince George’s County Fire Department responded to the 800 block of Balsamtree Place, Capitol Heights, MD for a vehicle fire. Once the fire was extinguished a body was discovered inside the vehicle. The decedent was pronounced dead on the scene by Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel.

An investigation into this homicide was conducted by members of the Prince George’s County Homicide Unit. Through investigative processes they notified the Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Branch the murder may have occurred in DC. The investigation determined that the decedent was shot and killed in the 5800 block of Field Place, NE, on August 31, 2011, at 1:38 am. This resulted in the Metropolitan Police Department assuming full investigative responsibility.

The decedent has been identified as 34-year-old Antwain Henderson of Capitol Heights, MD.

On Thursday, June 14, 2012, an adult male was arrested and charged pursuant to an arrest warrant with Second Degree Murder in the shooting death of Antwain Henderson.

On Friday, July 13, 2012, an adult male was arrested and charged pursuant to an arrest warrant with First Degree Murder in the connection to the shooting death of Antwain Henderson.

On August 31, 2012 at approximately 6:40 am, an adult male was arrested pursuant to an arrest warrant and charged with Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice in the shooting death of Antwain Henderson.

On Tuesday, May 14, 2013 at approximately 9:00 am, 41-year-old Jermaine Livingston of Southeast, DC was arrested pursuant to an arrest warrant and charged with Second Degree Murder in the shooting death of Antwain Henderson.

Michael Davis Found Competent to Stand Trial in Gary Dederichs' Death, Pleads Innocent

2013-05-14T14:52:59-04:00

Judge Robert Morin ruled Tuesday that after nearly a year of mental health treatment Michael Davis is 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.

Dederichs was found by police in the 800 block of Emerson Street, Northwest on April 24, 2012. He had suffered a blunt force head trauma and died on the scene.

Davis, brother of NFL stars Vernon and Vontae Davis, was arrested two weeks later and initially found incompetent by the Department of Mental Health.

In that initial report, the department said that people close to Davis said he had been treated for mental health disorders, including schizophrenia. Davis said he attended a special education school.

Mental competency, most often characterized as the ability of a defendant to understand the charges against them, must be found before a defendant can be tried.

In the year since Davis was arrested, his mental health has improved through a combination of medication and intensive training. Mental health evaluators now believe that Davis is fit to continue with criminal proceedings.

"At this point, the weight of evidence is that the defendant is competent to stand trial, almost in a technical sense," Judge Morin said Tuesday.

Morin noted, though, that Davis' competency could change and that "extra and extraordinary" measures may be needed to maintain his health. With that in mind, Morin requested regular competency reports at 60 day intervals, and Davis will remain held at St. Elizabeth's Hospital.

"The court's intent is to take this step by step; I won't proceed if Mr. Davis doesn't understand," Morin said.

After delivering his ruling, Morin arraigned Davis on first-degree murder and several assault charges; Davis pled innocent to all charges.

A status hearing is scheduled for August 30.

Week in Review

2013-05-12T08:45:18-04:00

In brief:

Shootings in DC last weekend left two men dead: 21-year-old Alvin Allen Jr. was killed in the 3400 block of Stanton Road at about 2:50 a.m. Sunday and Frederick Booker was killed in the 4100 block of 20th Street Northeast at about 6:41 p.m.

Jurors found Karl Pugh innocent of murder Friday after two days of deliberations, freeing him of all charges in connection with the shooting death of 27-year-old Quentin Joavor Ragland. It was Pugh's second trial; the first resulted in a hung jury.

Terry Johnson was sentenced Wednesday to 23 and a half years in prison in connection with the shooting death of 19-year-old Andre Jamal Wiggins. A jury convicted Johnson of second-degree murder and related weapons offenses in connection with the case in March.

Dianna Lalchan, suspected of voluntary manslaughter while armed in the shooting death of her husband, Christopher Lalchan, recieved approval from Judge Ronna Beck to be released from a halfway house while awaiting a grand jury investigation of her case.

Donte Graves rejected an informal plea offer from prosecutors Friday; he is suspected in the shooting death of 22-year-old Tyrone Joyner.

Judge Russell Canan ruled Friday that Herbert Hayes is mentally competent to stand trial for the murder of 41-year-old John Wesley Griffin. The trial is scheduled to begin June 24.

Albrecht Muth has returned to DC jail after doctors noted that his health had improved. Muth had been fasting for a period of time; Judge Russell Canan was concerned that the effects of the fasting made Muth's health a danger to bring him to court to stand trial for the death of his wife, Viola Drath.