Homicide Watch D.C.

Davon Thomas was arraigned Friday on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the death of his 53-year-old grandfather, Emanuel Campbell. Thomas pleaded innocent to the charge; a trial is scheduled for April 2014.
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Prosecutors have said that 54-year-old Miguel Ventura died in a robbery gone bad, but the defense attorney for one of the men accused of killing him says that the real motive was sex.

In closing arguments Thursday, defense attorney Liyah Brown said her client, Alexander Gomez-Enamorado and his friend, Jose Reyes, were with Ventura the day he was murdered to perform sexual acts at his restaurant in exchange for money.
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Khari Williams was arraigned Thursday on charges of first-degree murder while armed, and two related weapons offenses in connection with the shooting death of 23-year-old Angelo Payne. Williams pleaded innocent to all charges, and a status hearing has been scheduled for September 4.

Payne was found December 30, 2012 at around 12:00 a.m. on the 3400 block of Croffut Place Southeast, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Nine days later Williams, 18, was arrested, and held on suspicion of first-degree murder while armed in connection with Payne’s death.
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When Miguel Ventura was stabbed repeatedly to his death at his downtown DC restaurant in November 2010, it was a robbery attempt gone awry. Soon it will be up to jurors to decide whether that makes sense, and whether one of the men prosecutors say is responsible for the crime, is guilty of murder.

In a trial that has lasted one week, prosecutors have argued that that man, Alexander Gomez-Enamorado never planned to let Venture walk out of Izalco, Ventura’s restaurant, alive. Gomez-Enamorado and accomplice, Jose Reyes, had been planning the robbery for four days, they said, and have charged Gomez-Enamorado with three counts of felony murder while armed, conspiracy, robbery, burglary, tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice. The suspected accomplice,Reyes, is believed to be in Mexico.

Jurors in the case heard these closing arguments from prosecutor Wednesday after one week of testimony; arguments from the defense are expected Thursday morning.
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A DC man suspected of beating a man to death in his Northeast DC home has been released from jail and the charge against him dropped.

The case against Dennis Washington was dismissed in court Tuesday and an order for his release from jail was signed that same day. He had faced a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the beating death of Thomas Lipscomb in April 2011. Lipscomb was found dead on April 26, lying on the floor of his apartment, partially decomposed.
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Judge Ronna Beck found enough evidence Wednesday to believe that Ladonte Hawkins participated in the 2010 stabbing death of 19-year-old Kelvin Jamal Willis. Hawkins, 20, remains held while a grand jury investigates the case.

Willis was found stabbed in the Unit block of N Street Northwest Nov. 6, 2010, but detectives later determined that the stabbing took place in the Unit block of Hanover Place NW.

Metropolitan Police Detective Joseph Della-Camera testified at the preliminary hearing Wednesday and said that while in the hospital Willis told police he was attacked by three men, who then robbed him of his wallet and jacket, before stabbing him multiple times with a knife. Willis also told detectives that he knew the people who robbed him, Della-Camera said.
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Judge William Jackson sentenced Lanee Bell to three years in prison Tuesday in connection with the brutal beating death of 18-year-old Latisha Frazier. Bell’s jail time was suspended and she must complete two years of probation.

Bell had pled guilty to kidnapping in the case and said Tuesday that her participation in Frazier’s death was a mistake.

“I just wanna let y’all know that I apologize for what happened,” Bell wept as she addressed Frazier’s family. “I made a mistake. I just ask that you find it in your heart to forgive me.”
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Jurors in the “21st and Vietnam” murder trial announced Monday that they had reached a verdict on three of the seven charges against Anthony Hatton. Meanwhile, one of the jurors had to be released because of medical issues.
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Lloyd Bright pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter Monday in connection with the death of 61-year-old Darryl Eugene Sweet Sr. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop the initial charge of second-degree murder and will recommend Bright serve a sentence of 6 to 8 years in prison.

At the hearing Monday, Bright said he didn’t know Sweet had died until the day after their altercation, and that he wanted to take responsibility for his actions.
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Todd Green was held Saturday after a magistrate judge ruled there is evidence to believe he participated in the shooting death of 24-year-old Timothy Delonte Dawkins. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 5.
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