A Sad Birthday Cake for Charles Hunter | Temple Hills, MD

From the Washington Times: A man fatally shot early Sunday November 13, 2011, in Temple Hills, Maryland, was killed during an argument about a stolen coat. Charles Raphael Hunter, 20, was shot outside an apartment complex in the 3100 block of Good Hope Avenue after he and several friends got into an argument with several people standing in front of the complex. Three witnesses identified Daniel Andrew Gardner, 22, as the shooter, and he was arrested shortly after the incident. Mr. Gardner has been charged with first and second-degree murder and is being held without bond.

The argument occurred around 2 am, when a group including Mr. Hunter confronted another group of people about a stolen coat. A security guard at the complex heard the commotion and escorted the men with Mr. Hunter off the property. Moments later, he heard gunshots and saw a man firing at the group with Mr. Hunter. Mr. Hunter was taken to a hospital but died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

The killing is the 85th criminal homicide investigated by the Prince George’s County Police Department this year. Last year at this time, the police department had recorded 81 criminal homicides.

More information is at GoryPG.

This street memorial is the first one I have seen with a birthday cake, and definitely the first cake I have experienced with a blunt on it instead of a candle. On seeing the festive cake, a concerned woman passing by asked me if a child had been murdered at the site.

In any case, a life lost, and in this case over a mere coat. Prayers, work needed, and strength to all concerned with Mr. Hunter's life and demise.

Shoes for Jakari Butler | site of two recent slayings in Oxon Hill

According to the Washington Post, there were two killings in two succesive nights in the same block of Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Kaya Dejuna Wilson, 29, was fatally shot Saturday night November 19, 2011, in Prince George’s County, about one block from where a man was killed in a stabbing Friday evening, authorities said.
A police spokesman said there are no signs that the two incidents were related.

The Saturday night shooting occurred about 8:30 pm in the 1000 block of Marcy Avenue in Oxon Hill. Ms. Wilson was pronounced dead inside her apartment.

The evening before, November 18, 2011, Jakari Butler, 20, was found in the same block on Marcy Avenue after a slashing was reported there around 5:30 pm. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

I found no evidence of a memorial for Ms. Wilson in this modest garden apartment complex, and I assume these men's sneakers, tossed over a wire just outside the entrance to the area, are intended as a tribute to Mr. Butler. Seeing them quietly swaying on this sky-blue day made me sad.

There is more information available at GoryPG.

Yellow police tape | Silvestre Antonio Perez-Agustine

From The Washington Post: A man died early Monday morning, November 14, 2011, after being shot in the face in Northeast DC. Police said there was no one in the vicinity except the victim when they arrived to investigate a report of gunshots about 2:20 am. The shooting victim, Silvestre Antonio Perez-Agustine, 21, was taken to an area hospital and pronounced dead shortly before 3 am.

Investigators told News4 that the victim was found behind a Cadillac at the scene. All I could find that marked his passing was this tape remnant, left behind from the police cordon.

More details about the situation and testimony about Mr. Perez-Agustine's life is at HomicideWatch. He seems to have affected a number of people very positively by his character.

May he and his loved ones know peace.

Memorial bears for Antonio Headspeth | Barry Farms

From a DC police report: On Monday, October 17, 2011 at approximately 1:32 am, units from the Seventh District responded to the 1200 block of Stevens Road SE, Washington DC, to investigate the sounds of gunshots. Upon their arrival, they located an unconscious and unresponsive male suffering from gunshot wounds in the rear of the 1100 block of Stevens Road SE. DC Fire and EMS determined that the victim, Antonio Headspeth, 25, had no signs consistent with life and was pronounced dead.

Mr. Headspeth's family has issued a plea for the person who killed him to turn themselves in.

There have been two slayings in the Barry Farms community recently. I pray for peace, justice, and wisdom for all concerned.

More at Homicide Watch.

Street memorial for Andre "Dre" Wiggins | Clay Street NE

From a DC police report: On Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at approximately 11:54 am, Sixth District officers responded to the 5200 block of Clay Street NE, Washington DC, to investigate the report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they located an adult male who was unconscious and unresponsive suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS transported the victim Andre Wiggins, 19, to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

I arrived at the shrine immediately after his large funeral procession had proceeded by. There were a very large number of candles at his vigil - the street was dotted with a phalanx of melted wax remnants.

More information is available at HomicideWatch.

Peace to his family and friends, and a wish for peace and strength for the whole embattled Clay Terrace community.

Memorial for Demetrius Thompson | bus stop on Alabama Avenue SE

From a DC Police report: On Thursday, October 20, 2011, at approximately 12:08 am, units from the Seventh District responded to the 2100 block of Alabama Avenue SE, Washington DC, for the report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they located the victim lying in the street of that location. DC Fire and EMS responded to the scene and transported the victim, Demetrius Emmanuel Thompson, 22, to an area hospital where he succumbed to injuries and was pronounced dead.
On Tuesday, October 25, 2011, authorities from the US Marshals Task Force in Orlando, Florida arrested Vincent Gray, 21, and Delron Atchison, 22, both from DC, in Orlando, Florida, pursuant to DC Superior Court arrest warrant charging them both with Murder Two while Armed.

This decorative memorial to Mr. Thompson's life is at the busy Alabama Avenue bustop where his life came to a sudden sad end.

More information is at HomicideWatch.

Police tape for Jodie Ward | Barry Farms

From a DC Police report: On Thursday, October 20, 2011 at approximately 11:02 pm, units from the Seventh District responded to the 1100 block of Eaton Road SE, Washington DC, to investigate the report of an unconscious person. Upon their arrival, they located an unconscious and unresponsive male, Jodie Ward, 30, suffering from a stab wound. DC Fire and EMS determined that the victim had no signs consistent with life and was pronounced dead. On Thursday, October 20, 2011, members of the Homicide Branch arrested Felicia Dianne Jones, 30, originally charging her with Murder II while Armed. The charges against her have since been reduced to Assault with Intent to Kill.

This slaying is one of two that recently occurred in the struggling Barry Farms neighborhood of DC.

More information is at HomicideWatch.

Scene of a murder: Police tape at the site of Domingo Ezrike's murder

From a DC police report: On Saturday, October 22, 2011, at approximately 3:55 am, units from the Sixth District discovered an unconscious and unresponsive adult male suffering from a gunshot wound in the 4300 block of Ponds Street NE, Washington DC. DC Fire and EMS determined that the victim had no signs consistent with life. The victim, Domingo Ezirike, 40, was then transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner where he was pronounced dead.
On Sunday, October 23, 2011, members of the Homicide Branch arrested Rashad Terrell Slye, 20, charging him with First Degree Felony Murder while Armed for the homicide shooting of Domingo Ezirike.

Mr. Ezrike was a taxi driver who had picked up Mr. Terrell as a customer. It appears that the slaying resulted from a dispute over a shorted fare of seventy-five cents, and possibly a disagreement regarding music on the cab's radio.


More information about this particularly senseless tragedy can be seen at HomicideWatch.

A prayer for peace for Mr. Ezrike's loved ones.

Police crime tape for Alonzo James Guyton

From a Prince George's County police report: On October 25, 2011 at approximately 12:02 a.m., officers from the Mount Rainier Police Department responded to the 4200 block of Kaywood Drive, Mt. Rainier, Maryland, for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers found Alonzo James Guyton suffering from gunshot wounds to his body. Guyton was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased a short time later.
Through the course of their investigation, homicide detectives developed William Knight, of Washington DC, as a suspect in the case. On October 28, 2011, an arrest warrant was served on Knight at the DC Jail where he was being held on an unrelated charge. Two additional suspects, Lorenzo Carlton, 21 and Michael Jordan, 18, have also been arrested in connection with this murder.

I found this remnant of police crime tape in an otherwise quiet well-kept garden apartment complex.