Virginia Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Killing Autistic Man and Home Health Aide in Northeast Washington

            WASHINGTON – Davon Payton, 29, of Alexandria Virginia, was sentenced today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by the Honorable Craig Iscoe to a period of twenty- four years of incarceration followed by five years of supervised release.  Payton pled guilty on November 22, 2019, to two counts of second-degree murder while armed, one count of attempted robbery while armed, and an unrelated count of arson announced Timothy J. Shea, United States Attorney for the District of Columbia.

            On October 9, 2019, at approximately 9:49 p.m., Payton entered the victims’ home under the guise of using the restroom. When he exited the restroom, he pulled out a firearm and attempted to rob the homeowner. In the process, he fatally shot the homeowner’s autistic grandson and his home health aide who, during the robbery, had attempted to flee with the other occupants of the home. Both victims were unarmed. About a month prior to the shooting, Payton was captured on surveillance footage at the Exxon Service Station and 7/11 Convenience Store, located in the area of 4665 and 4675 South Capitol St. SW, igniting a gas pump fuel nozzle with a lighter before fleeing the scene.

            In announcing the sentence, United States Attorney Shea commended the work of those from the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Washington Field Office and the D.C. Fire and EMS who investigated the homicide and arson cases. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the United States Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lornce Applewhite, Supervisory Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen, and Victim/Witness Program Specialist Lesley Slade.

            Finally, U.S. Attorney Shea commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Merikas and Sitara Witanachchi who assisted in investigating the cases and bringing them to a prompt and just resolution.