Two District Men Plead Guilty to Charges in Killing of Man in Southeast Washington

            WASHINGTON – Kevin Grover, 26, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to killing a man in broad daylight in February 2016 in Southeast Washington. A second defendant, Justin Robinson, 19, also of Washington, D.C., pled guilty to a related charge.

            The guilty pleas were announced by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.

            Grover pled guilty to second-degree murder, and Robinson pled guilty to assault with intent to kill. Both pleas were before the Honorable Judith Bartnoff in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The pleas, which are contingent upon the Court’s approval, call for Grover to be sentenced to 16 to 20 years in prison and for Robinson to be sentenced to three to seven years of incarceration. Judge Bartnoff scheduled a sentencing hearing for Dec. 14, 2018.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Feb. 24, 2016, at about 2:30 p.m., Robinson and the victim, Demetrius Medlay, bumped shoulders and briefly argued at a market in the 3100 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE. Robinson drove away, but returned to the area about 10 minutes later. He got out of the car holding a handgun with an extended magazine. While waving the gun, he argued with Mr. Medlay on the sidewalk and then drove off.

            Robinson stopped the car at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Esther Place SE at about 2:45 p.m. Grover was standing at the corner. Referring to Mr. Medlay, Robinson said, “You can smoke him,” to which Grover replied, “All right.”

            Moments later, Grover pulled a semi-automatic firearm out of his pocket and pointed it at Mr. Medlay. He shot him twice in the chest. Grover fled the scene. Mr. Medlay ran back to the food market, where he collapsed. Mr. Medlay, 22, was pronounced dead a short time later.

            A law enforcement investigation led to Grover’s arrest in August 2016. Robinson was arrested in in July 2017.

            In announcing the pleas, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Willoughby, Jr., former Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard DiZinno, Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman, former Paralegal Specialist Zekiah Wright, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.

            Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nestler, who investigated and prosecuted the case.