Baltimore Man Indicted For Witness Retaliation and Tampering Resulting in the Death of a Baltimore Woman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                           Contact ELIZABETH MORSE

www.justice.gov/usao/md                                                     at (410) 209-4885      

Baltimore, Maryland - A federal grand jury in Baltimore, Maryland returned a six count indictment against Davon Carter, age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland.  The indictment was unsealed today following the initial appearance of Carter in federal court.  Four of the counts relate to the murder of Latrina Ashburne, age 41, on May 27, 2016.  For these charges Carter faces a possible death sentence or mandatory life in prison. Carter is also charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition the day of the murder as well as possession with intent to distribute marijuana.  Those charges carry a maximum term of 10 years in prison.

The indictment was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Stephen M. Schenning; Special Agent in Charge Nicholas DiGiulio of the Department of Health and Human Services, Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Commissioner Kevin Davis, Baltimore Police Department.

According to the six-count indictment, Carter killed Ashburne with intent to retaliate against a witness for providing to a law enforcement officer information relating to the commission and possible commission of a Federal offense  and to prevent the attendance and testimony of a person in an official proceeding.    The witness who was the target of the killing was not named in the Indictment.

According to the Baltimore Police Department, Ashburne was murdered in the early morning as she got into her car outside the home she shared with her mother in the 2900 block of Rosalind Ave. in the Cylburn neighborhood.  The police reported that an unknown male approached and shot Ms. Ashburne in the upper body as she tried to run.  At the time, the police also released a video they said showed the suspect fleeing the scene of the shooting on foot.    

A detention hearing is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore before a U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth P. Gesner.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

Acting United States Attorney Stephen M. Schenning commended HHS, FBI and BPD, for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Schenning thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Wilkinson and Judson Mihok, who are prosecuting the case.