Many parents, brothers, sisters, friends can recall one or more unsolved murders , it’s unforgiving when it happens, long after the wake, the funeral, the burial, memories linger, knowing the murder(s) have not been held accountable can be increasingly hard to sallow. The life of a once active soul, tragedy taken with no arrest, no hearing, no punishment is a horrible pain to endure. There are too many cases to give due thoughts to all of them on this blog.
Washington DC area, has more than four thousands unsolved cases , DC’s Metropolitan Police Department have been known for mismanagement, losing records, emails, destroyed files, slow responses, being outwitted by those who commit murders. There are people who have information that could help secure closure for families but instead remain settle in their unconcerned heart, mind, likely to be carry to their final resting place, why?.
Early in our murder case, our family a couple of friends were involved in getting prime useful information to detectives, before we were advised by the lead detective to not write the then police (Charles Ramsey) chief or contact the prime suspects, after I’d sent a (May 31, 2000) letter listing suspects names and several other people of interest or who might have information, detectives informed me: I was making their job harder by getting the Chief involved, adding other names for them to have to track down, after questing one neighborhood prime teenage suspect in the present of his protective mother, I was again advised to back off and let them (detectives) do their job, that turnout to be a loss. Police departments have long ask for citizens/family involvement and I believe working closely with detectives would/could have solved our unsolved case, if they trusted, shared more information and have a continuing workmanship manner with us, victims family experiencing the worse crime of all should have involvement if they desire.
After a murder, you won’t forget your love one’s present, their smile, their laughter, their joys and sadly the time when life was taken forever. Five, ten or twenty years to the day, for some without cold cases, days might be normal, unless it’s their birthday, wedding anniversary, or a special day, if it’s the day their parents, sister, brother, cousin, nephew, or love one was killed it’s not a good time. Many cases of unsolved murders fill the calendar, Gregory C. Shipe, shot while walking his dog in the 1700 block of Irving Street, NW, September 17, 2005, Essyss Geneyhy, assaulted in the 1900 block of 12th Street, NW, died July 26, 2005, Donate E. Manning, only nine years young , shot in the 2600 block of 13th Street, NW, on his neighborhood block, died April 26, 2005, Jennifer Zoch, found murdered in a basement parking garage at 930 M Street., NW, March 23, 1998, Tita Marie Murray, body found on the banks of a wooded area in the 4800 block of First Street, SW, October 22, 1999, Zheng Xianjuan, September 20, 2005, shot dead as she waited outside a Maryland restaurant near DC, Wardell Smith, Shot to death in the 3000 block of 25th Street, NE, March 3, 2004, Donna Nobles, shot to death on the front porch of her home in the 1800 block of Massachusetts Avenue, SE., July 22, 1994, Mary Alice Pratt, found murder in her residence in the 1300 block of Emerald Street, NE, June 3, 1998, Maurice Humbles, shot in the 1200 block of Chaplin Street, SE, November 15, 2002, Christopher Hall, body found inside the trunk of his black 2004 BMW, in the 7900 block of Eastern Avenue, NW on March 22, 2007, Damion Mikel King, murdered one block from his home, likely by teens he knew, in the early morning hour of May 16, 2000. I requested information/updates on about a dozen cold cases on April 18, 2020 from the MPD ( T. Fields, M. Riley) persons, still waiting for a reply as of this posting.
After midnight, May sixteen, two thousand, a horrible awakening occurred, howling cries occurred from his mother, our twenty two year old son, a block away from his residence, was dead near the middle of the 2800 block of Myrtle Avenue NE , we believed then and now , someone on that block knew/knows more but has not been forthcoming. The deadly attack against Damion, on the quite block of single family homes, involving four or more attackers, a petty beef, the brutal assault started a couple yards from the corner of Clinton moved past multiple homes, someone heard, saw or knows something. About a hour later police were on the crime scene, as in all cases tremendous detail work involving police, detectives, neighbors, family can lead to a quick arrest, sadly that doesn’t happen often despite the crime scene detective encouraging words, but it’s not too late to speak up now.
The lack of coming forward with information on Donte E. Manning, were according to MPD site, which I wanted clarification, the reward has reach over one hundred thousands dollars, fear, mistrust in the system or being related or close to a murder(s) can hinder some from coming forward, if you’re reading this and know something, what’s your excuse?, some one knows, heard, seen something in most cases, not saying something increases the growing number of murders, rewards where people can remain anonymous should help people rethink their being silent, sadly, they may be in need of someone speaking up if or when murder knocks at their door.
In the case of our twenty-two year old son, Damion Mikel King, valuable information was given, names, addresses, interviews, posters, articles, news, web site , meeting with the lead detective, where we repeatedly heard when we asked questions : We can’t go into that, we are quite certain of the prime suspects but we don’t have an eye witness, can’t share that with you at this time…. note – eye witness are less than 30% of murder cases. After twenty years this writer as in the past, believes our detectives we’re outwitted by a group of teens , who sold drugs in the Woodrige area, mostly around the 3100 block of Newton Street off Eastern Avenue NE, with awareness of some family, members of the prime suspects whose cousin was killed on Newton street months later, his convicted killer knowingly or unknowingly gave insightful information of a motive in his November 2002 trial. One prime suspect is likely in the Rocky Mountain area of North Carolina, at least two remain within a few miles of the crime scene, detectives as of this posting have failed to make an arrest that could have been made within weeks of Damion’s murder, mishaps in the investigation by detectives is celebrated by murders.
Hundreds of cold cases need an in-depth review, with new technology, fresh eyes, cooperating with families should be welcome in the investigation to bring closure, no murder(s) should be roaming around feeling free from taking a life, they must always feel pressure of being apprehended. There were people who contributed time and efforts to Damion’s case, here are a few, Paul Wagner, reporter, Manny Fernandez, reporter, James Trainum, MPD, James Stoots, Mount Rainer Police Department, Debbie Kochubka, Contributor, and DC Fox 5 News.
Person’s with information, can remain anonymous by calling, texting, emailing or writing call – 202-727-9099- 202-645-9600- Text- 50411 – Email – MPD@dc.gov – Mail – Violent Crime Case Review Project MPD/CID 300 Indiana Avenue NW, Washington DC 20001, Thank you.
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