Defendant Fled With Victim’s Lexus Sedan
WASHINGTON - D’Angelo Davis, 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 19 years in prison for killing a man during a robbery last summer in an alley in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Davis pled guilty in January 2019, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of second-degree murder while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of 19 years. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson accepted the plea and sentenced Davis accordingly. Following his prison term, Davis will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 21, 2018, at approximately 4:45 a.m., Davis encountered the victim, Michael Miller, in the 1600 block of Minnesota Avenue SE. The two men did not know each other. Mr. Miller, 37, who was driving a gray Lexus sedan, initiated a friendly conversation with Davis, who was on foot. The men agreed to meet nearby and continue the conversation. However, by that point, Davis had already determined that he wanted to steal Mr. Miller’s car. After Mr. Miller parked his car, the two men met in a nearby rear alley.
In the alley, Davis took out a.380 semi-automatic pistol, pointed it at Mr. Miller, and demanded the car keys. Mr. Miller grabbed for the pistol and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, the gun went off and the bullet his Mr. Miller in the neck, killing him. After the shooting, Davis went into Mr. Miller’s pockets and removed cash and the car keys. He then stole the vehicle and left the scene. Officers discovered Mr. Miller’s body at about 9:15 a.m.
The Lexus was recovered on July 30, 2018. As a result of the search, Davis’s fingerprints were found in the vehicle. On Nov. 15, 2018, Davis was arrested in an unrelated matter, but he agreed to speak with MPD detectives about the murder. After providing several false statements, he confessed to the slaying. He has been in custody ever since.
At the time of the murder, Davis was on probation for a 2016 drug offense. His probation has been revoked in that case.
In announcing the sentence, 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 District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who assisted with the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark, former Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nebiyu Feleke. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Bruckmann, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
