District Man Found Guilty of Charges in 2016 Murder On Southeast Washington Sidewalk

            WASHINGTON – Andre Becton, 28, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty of second-degree murder while armed and related firearms offenses stemming from a shooting that took place in Southeast Washington in September 2016, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Becton was found guilty by a jury on April 4, 2019, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Juliet McKenna scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2019.

            According to the government’s evidence, on the night of Sept. 15, 2016, the victim, Darnell “Kirk” Peoples, Sr., agreed to help a woman buy drugs. They encountered a group of young men who were playing craps in the 600 block of Mellon Street SE, in front of a neighborhood market. Mr. Peoples made a remark that offended the group, leading to a confrontation with Becton. Mr. Peoples tried to quash the trouble, but Becton pulled out a gun and started counting down. Mr. Peoples unsuccessfully tried to get the gun. Becton shot him two times in front of numerous people and fled the scene.  Mr. Peoples, 35, stumbled across the street and collapsed, shot in the neck and the left hip.

            The Metropolitan Police Department arrived within minutes and Mr. Peoples managed to mumble before he died that he was shot by “Dre from Trenton Park.”  Becton was arrested on Oct. 21, 2016, and has been in custody ever since.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Lenerz; Criminal Investigator John Marsh; Paralegal Specialists Lornce Applewhite, Stephanie Siegerist, Meridith McGarrity, Alesha Matthews, and Richard Cheatham; Victim/Witness Security Specialist Lesley Slade; Victim/Witness Services Coordinators La June Thames and Tanya Via; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and interns Jeremy Kelly and Madison Jansky.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Trigoso and Lindsey Merikas, who investigated and prosecuted the case.