Two Southeast Washington residents are facing murder charges in a shooting that left a Prince George’s County man dead. The 31-year-old man was shot Friday, Dec. 28, at approximately 11:35 a.m., police report.
Law enforcement responded to reports of gunfire in the 200 block of 68th Place in Seat Pleasant. Upon arrival at the scene of the alleged shooting, the found the victim mortally wounded. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene, according to police reports.
On Monday, Dec. 31, authorities announced that they had arrested a man and a woman in the shooting death. The suspects, a man, 36, and a 41-year-old woman, both face charges of first-degree and second-degree murder. After the shooting, the pair reportedly fled to Delaware where police were able to capture them. The defendants are awaiting extradition back to Prince George’s County.
The investigation was spearheaded by the Prince George’s County law enforcement team.
Police believe that the shooting was not random but an escalation of an ongoing conflict between the victim and defendants.
Murder is likely the most serious charge a defendant will ever face. That’s why it is vital to begin immediately crafting a credible and solid defense to the charges. In the above-referenced case, it might be possible to launch an affirmative defense of self-defense to the charges levied by police.
While the circumstances of the case remain murky at this time, if the reports of an ongoing dispute are accurate, the defendants may have believed that they were in imminent danger of being shot by the victim when they opened fire.
Anyone who is facing a murder charge should seek knowledgeable defense counsel who has experience defending clients on such serious charges.