District Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison For Murder of Man in Northeast Washington

            WASHINGTON – Dion X. Martin, 24, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for the shooting death of a man last year in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Martin pled guilty in June 2016, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of second-degree murder while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert E. Morin. Following his prison term, Martin will be placed on five years of supervised release.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Oct. 6, 2015, at approximately 11:20 a.m., Martin shot and killed Muhammad “Mo” Washington, 20, in the 4200 block of Edson Street NE.  Shortly before the shooting, Martin was heard walking around asking for “Mo” and loudly stating that he was going to shoot him because he had told people where his mother lived. The victim, an acquaintance of the defendant, approached Martin soon afterwards at the corner, where they engaged in a heated argument. Martin walked away, only to return minutes later with his hand tucked in his pocket. Mr. Washington reached for Martin with both arms as Martin approached, and after a brief struggle, Martin pulled a gun out of his pocket and fired a single shot into Mr. Washington’s chest. Martin ran away and Mr. Washington ran around the corner where he quickly died from his injuries.

            Officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) identified Martin by locating eyewitnesses to the defendant’s actions, and by locating an additional eyewitness to whom the defendant confessed his crime. Martin was arrested on Dec. 11, 2015.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended the work of those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Clark and Jennifer Allen; Paralegal Specialists Karen Hansen and Stephanie Siegerist; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Witness Security Specialist Wanda Queen, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gilead Light, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.