District Man Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison For 2010 Murder in Northeast Washington

            WASHINGTON - Emanuel “Manny” Guzeh, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 37 years in prison for a 2010 murder in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Channing D. Phillips announced.

            Guzeh was found guilty by a jury on Sept. 29, 2015, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of second-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable Jennifer Anderson. Following his prison term, Guzeh will be placed on eight years of supervised release.

            At trial, the government’s evidence showed that on Feb. 15, 2010, at approximately 11:30 p.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) were called to an apartment in the 900 block of 48^th Street  NE,  and discovered the body of Michaeldeon Talley, 33,  who was dead on the hallway floor of the apartment, having been shot several times.

            MPD homicide detectives learned, and the subsequent investigation revealed, that on the night of the murder, Mr. Talley was inside the apartment with his male friend, a girlfriend, and (later) two prostitutes who had advertised on “Backpage.com.”  The two prostitutes knew Mr. Talley and were invited over to “party” with the group.  One of the prostitutes had recently begun dating the defendant, who accompanied the prostitutes to the apartment, but remained outside.  The prostitutes went over to the apartment, socialized with the group, and looked around the apartment for money or valuables to later take with them.  They did not find anything of value at first but, while the prostitutes were still inside, Guzeh decided to bust inside the apartment.  He then went to the back bedroom, kicked open the bedroom door, and shot Mr. Talley in the torso.  Mr. Talley, after pushing his girlfriend out of harm’s way, lunged for the gun and the two men fought.  During the struggle, Guzeh shot Mr. Talley three more times.  Guzeh and the prostitutes then fled the apartment.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Phillips expressed his appreciation for the work of the Metropolitan Police Department.  He also commended the efforts of Paralegal Specialists Debra Joyner, Meridith McGarrity, and Zekiah Wright; Paralegal Supervisor Sharon Newman; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcey Rinker; Information Technology Specialist Leif Hickling; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Victim/Witness Specialists Wanda Queen and M. LaVerne Forrest; Supervisory Victim/Witness Specialist Michael Hailey; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; Supervisory Victim/Witness Services Coordinator David Foster, and Homicide Section Law Clerk Adam Bereston. Finally, U.S. Attorney Phillips commended former Assistant U.S. Attorney Holly Shick, who assisted in the investigation of this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Gorman and Robert Eckert, who investigated and prosecuted the case at trial.