Homicide Watch D.C.

Suspects in Saturday morning’s double shooting at a Valero gas station on Florida Avenue may have been returning from a homecoming party at Howard University when an encounter with others at the station turned deadly.

In charging documents associated with the case, police say witnesses described Justin Wilson and Reese William as being among a group of four people who went to the homecoming party then stopped at the gas station to buy cigarettes and a drink.

Wilson, in an interview with police, said Freddy Bernard Hawkins was behind him in line at the gas station.
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A shooting Saturday night in Southeast D.C. killed 23-year-old William Deon Howard, police said in a statement Sunday.

Howard and a woman were found with gunshot wounds in the 3000 block of Stanton Road Southeast. The woman was transported to a local hospital in stable condition, the statement said. Howard was pronounced dead at the scene.

MPD’s full press release is below: Read more

In brief:

Freddy Bernard Hawkins of Northeast DC was killed and another man was injured early Saturday morning in a shooting near the intersection of Florida Avenue and North Capitol Street, Northwest. Justine Wilson, of Southeast, DC is suspected of second-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill and 23-year-old Reese Williams of Southeast, DC suspected of acting as an accessory after the fact.

Judge Henry Greene declared a mistrial in the two remaining weapons charges against Stanley Moghalu. An alleged member of the “21st and Vietnam” crew Moghalu, 25, was found innocent last month of murder, conspiracy, and other weapons offenses in connection with the 2011 shooting death of 36-year-old Steven Moore. He could be retried on the two remaining weapons offenses.

Judge Robert Morin ruled that Sosefina Amoa, the woman accused of killing her newborn child, will remain held after attorney’s in the case waived Amoa’s preliminary hearing. Amoa, 26, is charged with felony first-degree murder in the case.

Grant Johnson was found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, second-degree murder while armed, armed robbery and related weapons offenses in connection with the May 2012 shooting death of 32-year-old Ricardo Mandrell Lancaster. He is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 21, 2014.

Judge Russell Canan sentenced Marlon Williams to 40 years in prison in connection with the 2010 shooting death of 37-year old Minn Soo Kang. Williams, 34, said he plans to file an appeal in the case.

Charges against Wesley Monroe were dropped after prosecutors in the case asked Judge Ronna Beck to dismiss the case. Monroe was a suspect in connection with the June shooting death of 28-year-old Quentin Lavar White. Don Page, also suspected in White’s murder, remains held.

Judge Herbert Dixon sentenced Lloyd Bright to seven and a half years in prison in connection with the 2012 death of 61-year-old Darrly Sweet. Bright pleaded guilty in August to involuntary manslaughter in Sweet’s death.

Demonta Chappell was indicted on charges of first-degree premeditated murder whil armed, obstruction of justice, and related weapons offenses in connection with the 2012 shooting death of 26-year-old Stevann Moorer. Chappell pleaded innocent to all charges and remains held pending a status hearing November 22.

Judge Russell Canan sentenced Shawn Lewis to 20 years in prison in connection with the death of 38-year-old Douglas Farley.

Marvin Moore pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and a related weapons offense in connection with the stabbing death of 58-year-old Timothy Benjamin. Moore is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Russell Canan on January 10, 2014.

Judge Russell Canan ruled that Kevin Walke will remain held after finding substantial probability that Walker participated in the July shooting deaths of siblings Jamie and Jamahl Jenkins. He is held pending a grand jury investigation.

One man was killed and another injured early Saturday morning in a shooting near the intersection of Florida Avenue and North Capitol Street, Northwest. Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the case.

Police Saturday afternoon said 28-year-old Freddy Bernard Hawkins of Northeast DC and another man were found shot at a Valero gas station at about 1:14 a.m. Both were taken to local hospitals. Hawkins was pronounced dead; the other man is expected to survive.

Two men have been arrested in connection with the case: 20-year-old Justine Wilson, of Southeast, DC is suspected of second-degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill and 23-year-old Reese Williams of Southeast, DC suspected of acting as an accessory after the fact.

A press release from MPD is after the jump.
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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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Marvin Moore pleaded guilty Friday to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the stabbing death of 58-year-old Timothy Benjamin.
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Shawn Lewis was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to setting aspiring DC actor Douglas Farley on fire, killing him.

Farley was 38.

“I’m very apologetic to his family and children,” Lewis told a courtroom full of Farley’s family and friends Friday. “We had ongoing problems and they kept going and going and they wouldn’t stop,” said Lewis. “That day I made a terrible mistake and decided to take matters into my own hands.”
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Judge Russell Canan found substantial probability Friday in the case against Kevin Walker.

Walker, 38, is suspected of first-degree murder in the July 2013 shooting death of siblings Jamie Jenkins and Jamahl Jenkins.

Canan said he found the combination of strong testimonies from eyewitnesses, Walker’s flight from the District of Columbia to North Carolina, the deactivation of his cellphone the day after the incident, his hairstyle change, and the sudden absence from work after good standing at The Marriott Hotel to be enough evidence to hold Walker while a Grand Jury investigates the case.
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Demonta Chappell was arraigned Friday on charges of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, obstruction of justice, and related weapons offenses in connection with the 2012 shooting death of 26-year-old Stevann Moorer. Chappell pleaded innocent to all charges and is held pending a status hearing November 22.
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Judge Herbert Dixon sentenced Lloyd Bright to seven and a half years in prison Friday in connection with the 2012 death of 61-year-old Darryl Eugene Sweet.

“We can talk about this being an accident, this being not intended,” Dixon said. “But it is compounded by the fact that you have killed somebody before.”

Bright had been previously convicted for voluntary manslaughter in a different case prior to Sweet’s death. At sentencing Friday Bright appeared remorseful and apologetic.

“I feel real bad about the whole situation. I liked Darryl,” Bright said. “I accept total responsibility for what happened.”
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