Homicide Watch D.C.

Update: Police have identified the woman killed as 21-year-old Rokeida Spriggs of Southeast D.C.

In the second of two fatal shootings overnight Thursday, a woman was killed near Benning Road and G Street in Southeast DC.

Reports WUSA:

Shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, police responded to another shooting in Southeast. Officials say a woman was shot in the upper body in the 4900 block of G Street SE. Police say she was later pronounced dead at the hospital. In this shooting, police have also not identified any suspects at this time.

MPD’s press release is below:

(Washington, DC)- The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a homicide which occurred in the 4900 Block of G Street, Southeast.

On Friday, November 22, 2013, at approximately 12:58 am, police officers from the Sixth Patrol District responded to the 4900 Block of G Street, Southeast for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they located an adult female suffering from a gunshot wound. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel transported the victim to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead. The remains of the decedent were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner pending an autopsy and a determination of a cause and manner of death.

The decedent is identified as 21-year-old Rokeida Spriggs of Southeast, 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.

UPDATE: MPD has identified the man killed shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday night as 28-year-old Kevin Lucas of Southeast DC. A press release from MPD is after the jump.

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In one of two fatal shootings in DC overnight, a man was killed in the 100 block of 34th Street after being shot multiple times, according to Fox5.

Reports WUSA

Police say they were called at 8:11 p.m. for the report of a shooting in the area and arrived to find the man with a gun shot wound who was unresponsive. He suffered serious, life threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital, according to police. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

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Albrecht Muth, the man charged with killing his 91-year-old wife Viola Herms Drath, has previously pleaded with the court to allow former U.S. General David Petraeus to testify in his murder trial to validate Muth’s military service, and to exonerate him of Drath’s murder.

On Thursday, though, Judge Russell Canan denied a defense motion for Muth’s counsel to subpoena Petraeus, or anyone beyond 25 miles from D.C.
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George Booth was arraigned Thursday on a charge of first-degree felony murder while armed in connection with the May 1992 shooting death of 27-year-old Chet Matthews.

Booth, one of two suspects in the case, pleaded innocent and remains held pending a detention hearing on December 12.

Police found Matthews shot shortly before midnight on May 25, 1992 near the 14th Street bridge and the I-395 northbound express lane.

The case remained open for 21 years until Lamont Terry was arrested and charged with first-degree felony murder while armed in connection with Mathews’ death.
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A Northeast DC man has been arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder in connection with the stabbing death of Candance Reed on Georgia Avenue Northwest early last Friday morning.

The suspect, identified by police as 36-year-old Michael Anthony Coleman of Northeast DC, was arrested shortly before noon Thursday. He did not appear at DC Superior Court to be presented with the charge Thursday.

Reed was found stabbed in the 5300 block of Georgia Avenue, Northwest at about 2:16 a.m. Friday. She was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead.

A press release from MPD is after the jump.
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Jurors in the trial of a former Marine charged with murder heard Tuesday from a witness to the fatal stabbing near the Marine Barracks in Southeast DC.

That witness, Nishith Pandya, had been friends with Philip Bushong for three years when Bushong was killed after a night of bar hopping.

Pandya testified that he and Bushong were with a group of friends drinking at Molly Malone’s some time after 2:00 a.m. when Bushong and two other Marines were asked to leave the bar after being “loud and boisterous.”

Pandya said that he accompanied Bushong outside and that the two talked about Bushong’s plans following his retirement from the Marines, which was scheduled to happen in five days.
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A man fatally stabbed early Monday morning on the 1200 block of Connecticut Ave. Northwest has been identified by police as 22-year-old Sephar Jean-Simon of Silver Spring, Md.

Police have not arrested anyone in the case.

A press release from MPD is after the jump. Read more

In brief:

Candance Reed, 40, was killed early Friday morning on George Avenue NW. A second stabbing victim has survived.

Shamika Smith, 24, was fatally struck by a vehicle while crossing Benning Road in Southeast DC last Friday evening. Woodrow Johnson, 52, was presented Monday with a charge of second-degree murder in connection with Smith’s death.

Dwayne Hilton, 21, pleaded innocent Friday to charges of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, assault with intent to kill while armed, and several related weapons offenses in connection with the November 2011 shooting death of 18-year-old Mico Briscoe.

Chavez Myers moved forward to sentencing Friday after affirming his guilty plea to first-degree murder while armed in connection with the November 2012 stabbing death of 18-year-old Olijawon Griffin.

Christopher Martin, 27, was sentenced Friday to 29 years in prison for the 2010 murder of his mother, Patricia Ann Martin, and subsequent assault on his brother, the US Attorney’s Office said.

Michael Poth’s trial began Thursday with eyewitness testimony and video footage. Poth, 21, a former Marine, is charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection with the 2012 fatal stabbing death of Philip Bushong, a fellow Marine. The trial is expected to continue this week.

A mistrial was declared in the murder case against Joshua Andrews after the jury notified the court three times they were deadlocked. Andrews is charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with the 2010 shooting death of 17-year-old Daron Alonte Lucas.

Justin Wilson was ordered held Thursday while a grand jury investigates after Judge Dixon found probable cause that Wilson was involved in the shooting death of 28-year-old Freddy Hawkins. Wilson is suspected of second-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill.

Stephen Page and James Brewer pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder while armed and related robbery offenses in connection with the 2011 shooting death of 71-year-old Solomon Reese.

A trial of four co-defendants charged with three murders began last week. Keir Johnson and Lester Williams are two of the co-defendants. The four men are charged with 80 criminal counts including conspiracy, first-degree murder, obstruction of justice, assault, and weapons charges related to the deaths of Jamal Coates, Paul Jones, and Sean Robinson.

Anthony Williams, 16, was ordered held Wednesday on suspicion of second-degree murder in the Nov. 5 shooting death of 24-year-old James Edward Booker.

Michael Smith pleaded guilty on Nov. 6 to fleeing law enforcement, acting as an accessory after the fact to an assault with intent to kill, and one other weapons charge in connection with the shooting death of 24-year-old Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo.

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 homicidewatch [at] gmail.com. To see scheduled court hearings beyond next week, see our calendar.
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Christopher Martin, 27, was sentenced Friday to 29 years in prison for the 2010 murder of his mother and subsequent assault on his brother, the US Attorney’s Office said Friday.

Martin’s mother, Patricia Ann Martin, was found dead on May 20, 2010 in the family’s apartment covered in blankets. Martin’s younger brother, Demetrius, told police that Christopher had beaten him and stabbed his mother.
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