Maryland Man Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For 2013 Murder In Southwest Washington-Defendant Fired Shotgun, Hitting Unintended Victim-

     WASHINGTON – William Hogan, 28, of Oxon Hill, Md., was sentenced today to a prison term of 15 years for killing a man last year in Southwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     Hogan pled guilty in November 2013, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree murder while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck. Upon completion of his prison term, Hogan will be placed on five years of supervised release.

     According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 17, 2013, at about 10 p.m., Hogan was in a courtyard in the 100 block of Irvington Street SW. He had engaged in an earlier conflict with individuals in the area, and had armed himself with a loaded shotgun. Hogan walked out of the courtyard and approached the victim, Robert Spencer, 21, and another individual who was in the area. Hogan pointed the shotgun, made a comment, and then fired one shot that hit Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer died as a result of numerous gunshot wounds, as the shotgun was loaded with buckshot. Hogan then fled the area and discarded the weapon.

     Hogan was arrested Sept. 29, 2013 and interviewed by detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He told police that he shot Mr. Spencer and that he discarded the shotgun after the murder. By all accounts, Mr. Spencer was not the target of the earlier conflict that took place in the area, and by Hogan’s own admission, he was not his intended target.

     In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended those who worked on the case from the MPD. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Worm, who prosecuted the matter.