Homicide Watch D.C.

A Maryland cab driver killed in what may have been a robbery attempt has been identified as Domingo Ezirike, a 40-year-old man from Prince Georges County.

Rashad Terrell Slye, 20, of Southeast DC, has been arrested in connection with case on suspicion of first degree felony murder while armed.
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Below is a map of homicides this week.

In brief:

DC’s deadliest week this year: Nine people were killed in the District in the past week, bringing the total number of homicides this year to 96. Arrests have been made in three of the cases.

• A shooting late Saturday night in Southeast DC killed 21 year-old Davon Paul Gray. Antonio Jones, a 19-year-old Maryland man was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with the case.
• A stabbing in Northeast DC Sunday night killed 31-year-old Jawan Parker. Tarkeyshia R. Brown was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder while armed in connection with the case.
• 25-year-old Antonio Headspeth was found shot to death in Southeast DC early Monday morning.
• Eric Kearney, 22, was shot to death in Northeast DC Monday evening. Kearney was the brother of Kwan Kearney, who is awaiting trial in two murder cases. One of those trials has been delayed because of Eric Kearney’s death.
• Mohammed Muktar Abduselam, 37, was shot and killed during a robbery at the gas station where he worked Monday evening.
• Demetrius Thompson was killed in a shooting on a Metro bus in Southeast DC early Thursday morning. MPD released surveillance video showing two men boarding the bus; MPD would like to speak with those men.
• Jodie Ward was found dead in Southeast DC late Thursday night; police initially said he was the victim of a stabbing but have since said that the cause of death has not been determined. Felicia Jones was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed, but the charge has since been reduced to assault with intent to kill.
• A Maryland cab driver was killed in a shooting in Northeast DC, about a half mile from the Maryland border, early Saturday morning. He has not yet been identified.
• A man was fatally shot near Howard University late Saturday night. He has not yet been identified.

Derek Johnson was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in the shooting death of Jamar Freeman. Johnson, 17, is charged as an adult.

Christian Navarette-Rivas, 16, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in the death of Miguel Angel Drullard Jr, who was killed in what police believe was an intentional hit-and-run collision.

Jekwan Dante Smith was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder while armed in connection with the fatal shooting of Isaiah Sheffield.

Oma Crawford was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the shooting death of Ralph Thomas, manager of the semi-profesional football team the DC Falcons.

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For upcoming court appearances please see our Week Ahead.

A man was fatally shot near Howard University, WUSA and the Washington Post report.

Reports WUSA:

Police tell 9 NEW NOW they received the call for the shooting shortly after 10pm.Read more

A Maryland cab driver was killed in a shooting in Northeast DC, about a half mile from the Maryland border, early Saturday morning, according to reports from Fox5 and WJLA.

Fox5 reports:

Arriving officers found a white and green taxicab from Prince George’s County apparently backed up on the lawn at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens park. There appeared to be two bullet holes in or near the cab’s front windshield. Responding officers found an adult, male driver “unconscious with no signs of life,” according to a police spokesman. Investigators believe the apparent motive was robbery.

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UPDATED
A 33-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with the stabbing death of Jawan Parker, MPD 5th District Commander Andy Solberg said on a community listserv this afternoon.

A press release from MPD states that the woman’s name is Tarkeyshia R. Brown. She’s suspected of first-degree murder while armed, according to the release.
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Washington’s Other Monuments has new photos up today of street memorials and the aftermath of homicide crime scenes. A sampling of the new photos is below. See more at Washington’s Other Monuments.

Carlows Eady‘s memorial on Dix Street NE

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Jekwan Dante Smith was ordered held today on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with the Sept. 24 shooting death of Isaiah Sheffield.

Smith, 20, is accused of fatally shooting Sheffield, 24.
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The Maryland 16-year-old accused of killing Miguel Drullard in a gang fight earlier this month was ordered held Friday pending a preliminary hearing.

Christian Navarrette-Rivas, 16, is accused of intentionally striking down Miguel Drullard Jr, 22, with his vehicle, a red Jeep Liberty, on the 4400 block of 14th Street NW on Oct. 6. Navarrette-Rivas, from Riverdale, Md., is being charged as an adult. He was arrested Thursday in connection with the case.
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Spend enough time in DC’s courtrooms and you’ll hear plenty about DNA evidence. From swabs of guns, knives, forks, caps, and more to the drawing of blood or swabbing of a defendant’s cheek, it came seem as if DNA plays a role in nearly every case.

The BBC this week tackled the issue of DNA evidence in a report on upcoming changes to the national DNA index system used by the FBI.
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The charge against Felicia Jones, arrested Thursday in the death of Jodie Ward has been reduced to Assault With Intent to Kill while Armed.

In a statement MPD said that the reduced charge was in light of information from the medical examiner and said that the cause of death is still pending.
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