Homicide Watch D.C.

A good summary of the program charged with rehabilitating the District’s delinquent and violent youth is in Colbert King’s Washington Post column this week.

King explains the DYRS system and citing Ward 1 Councilman Jim Graham, states that

●16 young people killed in the District this year have been at one time under DYRS supervision or supervised by court social services;

●Nine people who are DYRS wards or have recently left DYRS because they reached age 21 have been charged with first-degree murder;
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This comment of the day is from “Anonymous,” who wrote in about Antonio Headspeth.

I cannot imagine your pain and I am so sorry for your loss. The violence in the world is crazy and there is no excuse for it. I always hear people say that some people grow up out here and have to do bad things to other people to survive. I think that is a poor excuse and bs. Parents have more influence over kids than anyone else. If we raise them right and take care of them it would cut down on the bad things they do. If no one steps up to id your son’s killer, please rest in the fact that everything done in the dark comes to light anf his killer will be exposed.

Each Friday, 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 Wednesday, Brandon Andrews is expected for a status hearing with Judge William Jackson. Andrews is suspected of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Leonard Bigelow in Aug. 2011.

Thursday, Judge Gerald Fisher is expecting Charles Coates and Jewell Washington.

Coates is expected for a status hearing in a felony murder case. He is suspected in the shooting death of his cousin, Eddie Leonard Jr.

Washington is expected for a preliminary hearing in a second-degree murder case. Prosecutors allege that she fatally stabbed her half- or step- brother, Mark Goldring.

Judge Lynn Leibovitz is expecting Christian Navarrette-Rivas, Derrell Bennett and Reginald Vance.

Navarrette-Rivas is expected for a preliminary hearing in a second-degree murder case. The 16-year-old was charged as an adult in the case, which alleges that he intentionally struck down Miguel Drullard Jr, 22, with his vehicle. Drullard was killed in the collision.

Bennett and Vance, co-defendants in a first-degree murder case, are expected for a status hearing. They are accused of fatally shooting Keith Banks.

Judge William Jackson is expecting Felicia Jones, who is charged with assault with intent to kill in a death detectives initially classified as a homicide. Jones is expected for a preliminary hearing in the case.

On Friday, Judge Russell Canan is expecting Albrecht Muth for a status hearing. Muth is suspected of second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Viola Drath. Judge Canan has taken the case from Judge Fisher.

Judge Jackson is expecting Aneka Nelson, Lanee Bell, Kevin Benbow and Calvin Monroe.

Nelson is scheduled for a status hearing in a felony murder case. She’s suspected in the death of Latisha Frazier. The case remains open in court records, but the US Attorney’s Office has said that it is closed.

Bell, suspected of kidnapping in connection with Frazier’s death, is also scheduled for a status hearing.

Benbow is expected for a preliminary hearing in a first-degree murder case. He’s suspected in the shooting death of Jinnell Barbara McQueen, which occurred in Nov. 2010. He was arrested in April and the hearing has been delayed several times.

Monroe is expected for sentencing on a charge of second-degree murder in the shooting death of Lonnie Whitted, his brother’s former friend, in July. Attorney have agreed to a sentence of 17 to 22 years of incarceration.

Judge Motley is expecting Anthony Hatton, Delron Atchison and Vincent Gray.

Hatton is expected for a status hearing in a first-degree murder case. He is suspected in the shooting death of Tyrell Fogle.

Atchison and Gray, co-defendants suspected in the shooting death of Demetrius Thompson, are expected for a preliminary hearing at 10:30 a.m. Thompson was shot on board a Metro Bus in Oct. 2011. Atchison and Gray were arrested in Orlando, Fl.
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Three young Virginia men have just eight days left to decide on a plea offer that would allow two of them to walk away in 15 years with voluntary manslaughter convictions, but could send the third to prison for twice that length of time.
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Shawn Davis pleaded guilty today to one count of second-degree murder while armed in the death of his ex-girlfriend, Tawana Barnes Copeland. In pleading guilty, Davis faces a sentence of 14 to 18 years, USAO Spokesman William Miller said.

The plea comes a little more than two months after Davis was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder while armed. A trial date had been set for July.
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An editorial today in the Examiner tackles Neal Godleski’s family’s $20 million lawsuit. Says the Examiner:

If it takes losing a $20 million wrongful-death lawsuit for Deputy Mayor B.B. Otero and Human Services Committee Chairman Jim Graham, both of whom have direct executive and legislative responsibility for overseeing this failing agency, to finally get the message that whatever DYRS is doing is not working, it will be money well-spent.

Read the full editorial here.

From the US Attorney’s Office:

District Man Sentenced to 13-Year Prison Term In July 2008 Slaying in Northeast Washington - Victim Was Shot With an Assault Rifle -

WASHINGTON - John Youngbey, 30, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 13 years of incarceration for the July 2008 shooting death of another man in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
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MPD has identified Marcus Parham, 26, as the man found shot to death this morning on the 4500 block of Quarles Street NE.

Parham, a resident of Northeast, was found inside a building shot multiple times. He died after being transported a local hospital. MPD’s statement is below.
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Two men suspected of fatally shooting Demetrius Emmanuel Thompson on board a Metro bus last month have been returned to the District from Florida, where they were arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder

Delron Atchison, 22, known as “Dale,” and Vincent Gray, 21, known as “Vinny,” appeared in DC Superior Court Tuesday and were each ordered held pending a preliminary hearing.

They were arrested in Orlando, Fl. on Oct. 25, five days after Thompson was killed.
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NBC Washington is reporting that a man was shot and killed Wednesday morning in Northeast D.C.

According to their report:

The victim was found around 8:25 this morning on Quarles Street NE.

Police say he’d been shot several times.

According to investigators, the victim appears he might have been in an apartment building at the time.

Update: The victim has been identified as 26-year-old Marcus Parham.