Rasdavid Lagarde | Homicide Watch DC

Rasdavid Lagarde Indicted in Death of Omar Sykes

Megan Arellano — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 12:32:17 -0400

Rasdavid Lagarde formally pleaded innocent to eight criminal charges Friday, including first-degree murder while armed, after being indicted for the shooting death of Omar Sykes. A trial is scheduled for November 10.

Sykes was shot and killed around 11:30 p.m. on July 4, 2013. He was a 22-year-old student at Howard University.

According to arrest documents in the case, Sykes died in an attempted robbery. A witness told police that Sykes was beginning to move to the ground when the witness saw a man made a gesture as if he were going to "pistol whip" Sykes. Then the witness heard a single gunshot and saw that Sykes was shot.

Lagarde may have believed the safety on his weapon was on when the shooting occurred, documents say.

The case is scheduled for a status hearing August 5.

A copy of the indictment is below.

Rasdavid Lagarde Waives His Right to a Preliminary Hearing

Megan Arellano — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 13:58:24 -0400

Nearly five months after his arrest, Rasdavid Lagarde decided to give up his right to a preliminary hearing in court on Friday.

At such a hearing, prosecutors would have argued there was probable cause that Lagarde was the person who fatally shot Howard University student Omar Sykes in order for Lagarde to remain held.

Police believe Sykes's death was the result of an attempted robbery.

Sykes was found shot in the 700 block of Fairmont Street Northwest around 11:30 p.m on July 4, 2013. Lagarde, 26, is suspected of first-degree murder in the case.

According to charging documents, a witness who was with Sykes before the shooting said two men were following them in the 700 block of Fairmont Street Northwest.

When the witness turned around, one man produced a black handgun and stated, “Don’t run… get on the ground.” The second man, holding a silver handgun, grabbed Sykes by the arm.

According to the witness, Sykes was beginning to move to the ground when the second man made a gesture as if he were going to “pistol whip” Sykes. Then the witness heard a single gunshot and saw that Sykes was shot.

Another witness told police that Lagarde told the witness on July 5, 2013, that he had “f**ked up” in the course of a robbery and shot someone. Documents state that the witness thought Lagarde “appeared as if he was not himself.”

Judge Lynn Leibovitz accepted Lagarde's decision and ruled that Lagarde will remain held without bond.

Lagarde is scheduled for a felony status conference on May 9 at 10 a.m. before Judge Lynn Leibovitz. Prosecutors say that they expect to deliver an indictment before July.

Rasdavid Lagarde Held in Shooting Death of Omar Sykes

Megan Arellano — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 18:00:44 -0400

The man accused of fatally shooting Howard University student Omar Sykes may have believed the safety on his weapon was on, according to charging documents in the case.

Appearing in court Wednesday, 26-year-old Rasdavid Lagarde was ordered held in the case on suspicion of first-degree murder.

Sykes was found shot July 4 in the 700 block of Fairmont Street Northwest around 11:30 p.m; he later died at a local hospital.

Police believe his death was the result of an attempted robbery.

According to charging documents, a witness who was with Sykes before the shooting said that he noticed two men following them in the 700 block of Fairmont Street Northwest. When the witness turned around, one man produced a black handgun and stated, "Don't run... get on the ground." The second man, holding a silver handgun, grabbed Sykes by the arm.

During this time, the first man said, "Oh you're looking at us... you're looking at us?" and hit the witness in the head, causing the witness to fall on the ground.

According to the witness, Sykes was beginning to move to the ground when the second man made a gesture as if he were going to "pistol whip" Sykes. Then the witness heard a single gunshot and saw that Sykes was shot.

Another witness told police about an early morning phone call on July 5 with someone they knew as "Ras". In the call Ras said that he shot an individual during the course of a botched robbery, the witness told police, documents state. When this witness saw Ras later that morning, Ras told the witness that he had "f**ked up". Documents state that the witness thought Ras "appeared as if he was not himself."

Ras then said that he was at a bar when he saw an individual he intended to rob, the witness said, documents say. According to the witness, Ras said that after he left, he attempted to rob the individual and it didn't go as planned. The witness told police that Ras said he and Sykes tussled with the gun and the gun went off.

Documents state that Ras told the witness he believed the safety was on when the gun fired.

During the investigation, detectives determined a phone number associated with Lagarde placed phone calls minutes after the murder, in the area of the murder.

Later, the second witness identified a photo of Lagarde as the person it knew as "Ras".

A preliminary hearing for Lagarde has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on November 13.

Charging documents have been added to the post below.

Lagarde, Rasdavid Charging Papers (PDF)Lagarde, Rasdavid Charging Papers (Text)

Rasdavid Lagarde Arrested in the Shooting Death of Omar Sykes

Megan Arellano — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 15:03:52 -0400

Rasdavid Lagarde, 26, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of first-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death of 22-year-old Omar Sykes.

On July 4, Sykes was found in the 700 block of Fairmont Street Northwest around 11:30 p.m. with multiple gunshot wounds; he later died at a local hospital. Police believe his death was the result of an attempted robbery.

A Howard University student, Sykes was memorialized by friends and family on July 11.

MPD’s press release follows after the jump.

Arrest Made in Homicide: 700 Block of Fairmont Street, NW

(Washington, DC)-Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch announced an arrest has been made in the fatal shooting which occurred in the 700 block of Fairmont Street, NW.

On Thursday, July 4, 2013 at approximately 11:29 pm, patrol officers from the Third District responded to the 700 block of Fairmont Street, NW for the report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they located a male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent is identified as 22 year-old Omar Sykes of Northwest, Washington, DC.

On Tuesday, October 15, 2013, at approximately 9:45 am, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 26 year-old Rasdavid Lagarde of Northeast, Washington, D.C. He was charged with First Degree Felony Murder While Armed in the shooting death of Omar Sykes.