Judge Lynn Leibovitz found probable cause Monday in the case charging Paul Jefferies with the death of 24-year-old Awele Olisemeka, who died after being hit in the head with a brick.
Police found Olisemeka on September 14, 2013 at approximately 6:09 p.m. on the 900 block of Madison Street Northwest beaten and unconscious. He was transported to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with multiple skull fractures, and admitted in critical condition. He died two days later.
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In brief:
The death of a man at a Kenilworth Avenue Northeast towing company has been ruled a homicide, bringing the total number of homicides in DC in 2013 to 106. According to charging documents in the case, Kevin Lewis Crouch was struck by a tow truck at the yard after he tried to rob people there. The driver of the tow truck, Corey Stoddard, is suspected of second-degree murder.
In the first homicide of 2014, Claudia Hall, 51, was found dead inside a building in the 300 block of 18th Place Northeast. She had suffered “apparent trauma to her body,” police said in a statement. Alphonso Cleveland, 52, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with Hall’s death.
Andre Burks, a 26-year-old Southeast DC man, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with the August 2012 shooting death of Antwan Boseman.
Howard Bruce Randolph, 25, was arrested in connection with the June death of 21-year-old Rayshawn Hailstock. He is suspected of involuntary manslaughter. According to court records, a warrant was issued for him on the charge based on an original indictment from the Grand Jury. He is expected to be arraigned January 7.
The 2009 shooting death of Southeast DC man Michael George Colbert was closed Tuesday with the arrest of 30-year-old Quinn Johnson, also of Southeast DC. Johnson is suspected of first-degree murder while armed, police said.
Dion Redwood, 39, of District Heights, Maryland was arrested in connection with the April shooting death of DC teen Darius Cannon. Redwood is expected to be charged with first-degree murder while armed.
One year into an on-again-off-again hunger strike, murder defendant Albrecht Muth is preparing for a trial that he insisted would never happen by chewing food that meets his “dietary regimen.” Muth is charged with the death of his wife Viola Drath, who was killed in August 2011. The trial has been delayed in part because of Muth’s prolonged fast, but on Thursday Judge Russell reaffirmed his intention to try Muth on January 6.
The first Comment of the Day of 2014 came from PoPO, who wrote: “I was a police officer in your city. A big white boy from the country. I drove a pickup truck and voted republican every election since I was 18. And Guess what? My heart hurt like hell EVER TIME I saw so many of these people laying face down in the street or had to hear their last words.I worked South East in the seventh district.
We looked back at 2013 with Homicide Watch DC’s Year in Review. Features include an interview with MPD Chief Cathy Lanier, a look at the ten cases that captured our attention this year, guest columns from Councilmember Jim Graham and Kia Dupree Joppy, sister of community activist Timothy Dawkins, the year in numbers, an interview with US Attorney Ronald Machen, a look at the year’s dismissed cases and more. Read the 2013 Year in Review here.
Police found a woman dead inside a building in the 300 block of 18th Place Northeast on Friday afternoon, marking the year’s first homicide.
Claudia Hall, 51, had suffered “apparent trauma to her body,” police said in a statement.
Alphonso Cleveland, 52, was arrested Saturday on suspicion of second-degree murder while armed in connection with Hall’s death.
MPD’s full press release is below. Read more
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.
A 39-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the April shooting death of DC teen Darius Cannon.
The suspect, identified by police as Dion Redwood of District Heights, Maryland, is expected to be charged with first-degree murder while armed.
A press release from MPD is after the jump.
Read more
One year into an on-again-off-again hunger strike, murder defendant Albrecht Muth is preparing for a trial that he insisted would never happen by chewing food that meets his “dietary regimen.”
Muth is charged with the death of his wife Viola Drath, who was killed in August 2011. The trial has been delayed in part because of Muth’s prolonged fast, but on Thursday Judge Russell reaffirmed his intention to try Muth on January 6.
Read more
The first Comment of the Day of 2014 comes from PoPO, who wrote:
I was a police officer in your city. A big white boy from the country. I drove a pickup truck and voted republican every election since I was 18. And Guess what? My heart hurt like hell EVER TIME I saw so many of these people laying face down in the street or had to hear their last words.I worked South East in the seventh district. I am still dealing with all the senseless death and suffering.Read more
The death of a man at a Kenilworth Avenue Northeast towing company has been ruled a homicide, bringing the total number of homicides in DC in 2013 to 106.
According to charging documents in the case, Kevin Lewis Crouch was struck by a tow truck at the yard after he tried to rob people there. The driver of the tow truck, Corey Stoddard, is suspected of second-degree murder.
Documents allege that Crouch attempted to rob Stoddard and others with a handgun at Collision Towing Company where Stoddard worked, but Stoddard ran to a truck and tried to drive away. When Crouch chased him, Stoddard ran over Crouch with the tow truck and dragged him approximately 100 feet, police say.
Crouch was pronounced dead Tuesday afternoon at Prince George’s County Community Hospital.
Stoddard appeared in D.C. Superior Court Wednesday. He was ordered released to high-intensity supervision until a preliminary hearing scheduled for January 22. Read more
The 2009 shooting death of Southeast DC man Michael George Colbert was closed Tuesday with the arrest of 30-year-old Quinn Johnson, also of Southeast DC.
Johnson is suspected of first-degree murder while armed, police said.
MPD’s press release is after the jump.
Read more
More than thirty trials for homicide cases have been scheduled into the 2014 calendar at DC Superior Court.
Of DC murders that have occurred since June 2010, 35 cases are scheduled for 2014 trials thus far. Not all will ultimately be tried. Some defendants will plead guilty before their trial begins. Charges may be dropped against others. Delays could also cause trials to be rescheduled later into the year, or into 2015.
Explore the 2014 murder trial calendar below and get to know each case. Note that the ages of the defendants are the age at which the person was arrested and not necessarily their current age.
