Lamar M. Fonville's memorial on Georgia Avenue NW

From the Washington Post: A man who had been fatally shot was found Sunday, Sunday September 30, 2012 in the 7400 block of Georgia Avenue NW, Washington DC.  DC police officers said Lamar Michael Fonville, 29, was found with a gunshot wound in the head about 3:20 am.  

There is a moving letter left at the memorial, which is in front of a modest garden apartment. It reads in part: ."..Lamar I am proud of you and miss you terribly I saw you every day and there is an empty vacuum without you all that you wanted was a piece of the American dream and this is where you ended up...

May Mr. Fonville's friends and family know peace, and may justice be served.

Memorials for Marckel Ross, Central Avenue, Capitol Heights

From WJLA-TV: An 18-year-old Central High School student with aspirations of working in the fashion industry was shot and killed Tuesday morning as he walked to school in Capitol Heights,Maryland, Prince George's County Police say. The victim, identified as Central High School junior Marckel Norman Ross, 16, was found suffering from a gunshot wound at about 6:50 am September 11, 2012, in the 6100 block of Central Avenue. Marckel was found in his school uniform with his bookbag with him. Investigators are continuing to look for a suspect and establish a motive. He was apparently an well-liked and positive young man. A large vigil was held at the site of his slaying in his honor and memory by his family and many friends.

R’artagnon White- last site; 5100 block of 7th Street NE

From a report in the Washington Times: R’artagnon White, 38, was found fatally shot inside a home in the 5100 block of 7th Street Northeast, Washington DC on Thursday afternoon, September 13, 2012. He had been shot in the back of the head, Metropolitan Police Department officials said. He apparently was still alive when authorities arrived.

Peace peace peace...

Bidley Warren- site of his passage- 1000 block Rhode Island Avenue NE

From a DC police report: On Thursday, August 23, 2012, at approximately 10:15 pm units from the Fifth District responded to the 1000 block of Rhode Island Avenue NE, Washington DC, for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they located an adult male victim, unconscious and unresponsive suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. DC Fire and EMS transported the victim, identified as Bidley Warren, 22, to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. This mass of crime tape marks the sad

scene of his passage.

Paul Morris- police tape on 4th Street NE DC

From a report by WJLA TV: A 49-year-old Northeast D.C. woman has been charged with 2nd-degree murder while armed after police say she stabbed a man Thursday night during an altercation near a 4th Street NE bus stop. MPD officials say that Quindetta Cosby allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Paul Lawrence Morris, 49, while he was hitting her just after 6:20 pm Thursday September 13, 2012. Officials say the stabbing happened at a bus stop on 4th Street NE, near the 300 block of Bryant Street NE. According to authorities, witnesses told police that Morris began assaulting Cosby at the bus stop, and during the alleged attack, another man intervened and tried to separate the two. At some point during the attack, though, police say Cosby pulled out a knife and stabbed her attacker. Morris later died.

Butterfly and crime tape on Glacier Avenue for Oliver Davis

This crime tape remnant is on a "dead end" sign in the 700 block of Glacier Avenue, Capitol Heights MD. A swallowtail butterfly passed in front of it as I recorded the image. It marks the spot of passage of Oliver Gregson Davis, 29, who was shot on the 11th of August, 2012. According to the Washington Post, the death followed a dispute over food. Travis Everett Hoskins has been arrested in the case.

Tape for Anthony Boatwright, Temple Hills Road, MD

From a police report: On August 6, 2012, at approximately 12:15 am, patrol officers responded to the 5000 block of Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills Maryland, for a shooting. Upon arrival, officers found Anthony Boatwright, 18, lying on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound. Boatwright was pronounced dead on the scene. The investigation revealed Boatwright and Sales happened upon each other on the side of the road and got into an altercation. The investigation found Sales shot Boatwright and fled the scene; Patrol officers set-up a perimeter and found Sales not far from the crime scene. Darrel Sales of Ft. Washington, MD was arrested and charged with second degree murder. This tape is immediately adjacent to Elim Baptist Church.

Shrine to unknown person- 6400 block of Pennsylavania Ave, Forestville MD

I documented this shrine to an unknown victim or victims in the 6400 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, in Forestville, Maryland. There have been numerous slayings in this area in recent years. See this map for more information.

Unknown victim- Curtis Street SE

This yellow police tape marks the site of the slaying of an unidentified man.

 From a DC police report: On Saturday, August 18, 2012, at approximately 3:15 pm units from the Sixth District responded for the report of an unconscious person in the 1900 block of Curtis Court SE, Washington DC.  Upon arrival, they located the remains of an adult male. DC Fire and EMS did not find any signs of life.  The victim was pronounced dead by a member of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. An autopsy revealed the cause of death was multiple blunt impact injuries and the manner of death was ruled homicide. The decedent’s identity is unknown at this time.

Shrine for Jerry Williams - Brooks Street NE DC

From a DC police report: On Monday, July 30, 2012, at approximately 11:43 pm members of the Sixth District responded to the 4700 block of Brooks Street NE, Washington DC, for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound. DC Fire and EMS transported the victim, identified as Jerry Williams, 22, to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. 

More information on Mr. Williams is on HomicideWatch.

Blessings and healing to those who cared for him.

Memorial for Mr. Wong | Columbia Pike, Arlington VA

This street memorial honors Mr. Tommy K. Wong, 52, who was murdered about 4:00 PM Friday July 27, 2012, in his store, Capital Jewelers, 3219 Columbia Pike, in Arlington, Virginia. Video cameras show that he was murdered during a robbery. His death was discovered by his family after he did not come home that evening. Arlington Police are currently searching for the suspect, whose image was captured by the security cameras.

The memorial was erected by family and members of the tight-knit local business community, many of whom are also immigrants operating small enterprises in this highly-diverse neighborhood.


Mr. Wong has been described by friends, family, and other members of the Columbia Pike business community as a kind, dedicated family man, and his loss has been devastating to those who knew him.

May his memory be for a blessing, and peace return to his family and community.

The Washington Post has published interviews and other information about this sad turn of events. It can be viewed here.

This is the first street memorial to a homicide victim that I have found in Arlington. After a more than two year peace, there have been three slayings in Arlington this past month.

"El Tigre" Shrine for Edgar Aguilar, Columbia Pike, Arlington VA

A spontaneous street shrine has been erected to Edgar Aguilar, who was killed in a bus accident at this site on Columbia Pike in Arlington, Virginia, near the intersection with South Four Mile Run.

According to the news blog ArlNow, "a video was taken on the evening of July 1, 2012. Just minutes prior to the start of the video, a man had been struck by a car on Columbia Pike near the intersection with Four Mile Run Drive, which was darkened due to power outages in the area following the June 29 derecho. The video shows the bus pulling up to the scene, which was next to a bus stop. The man’s bloodied body — blurred out by police — is lying on the sidewalk.
With the bus stopped, passengers file past the man’s body. Although someone had called 911 — lights from police cars heading to the scene can be seen in the background — not a single person stops to check on the man, who was either dead or dying. A woman carrying shopping bags walks right by, without hesitation. One man crosses himself after getting on the bus.
Police say they released the video in a “good faith effort” to get witnesses to the accident to step forward. Detectives are not looking to charge anybody in the video with any wrongdoing — they just want them to “come forward and say ‘this is what happened, this is what we saw,’” according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.
“The intent is solely to get these witnesses to… assist police in the reconstruction of what happened that night,” Sternbeck said. “The intent is not to say these individuals are accountable for anything.”
Sternbeck noted that the driver of the striking vehicle “has been very cooperative,” but the case is still open. Charges could still be filed if the driver is thought to be at fault."

It is the first street memorial I have documented in either Arlington or Alexandria.

May El Tigre rest in peace.

Memorial for Antione "Ant" Bates Crittendon Street NW, DC

From a DC police report: On Saturday, June 23, 2012, at approximately 1:51 am, Fourth District officers responded to the 500 block of Crittenden Street NW , Washington DC, to investigate a report of a shooting. Once they arrived on the scene, officers located an adult male suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.  DC Fire and EMS transported the victim, identified as Antione Bates, 23, to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

More at HomicideWatch.