Marcel Vines and Malique Lewis, both members of the Clay Terrace crew, have been sentenced to life plus 60 years in prison. The sentencing took place in U.S. District Court for their involvement in the kidnappings and murders of two victims as an act of revenge.
U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., FBI Special Agent Sean Ryan, Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department announced the sentencing.
After a four-week trial, a federal jury found Vines and Lewis guilty on August 19, 2024. They were charged with kidnapping resulting in death, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, two counts of armed kidnapping, two counts of first-degree murder while armed—felony murder with aggravating circumstances—and several other charges related to firearms possession during violent crimes.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that Vines and Lewis conspired with another person to kidnap and kill Armani Nico Coles and Kerrice Lewis as revenge for the death of their friend Ronzay Green. Although they knew who was responsible for Green's death, they mistakenly targeted Coles and Lewis instead.
On the day of the incident, Vines recognized Kerrice Lewis at a gas station after Green's death. The defendants followed her car until they kidnapped her from an AutoZone parking lot. Armed with weapons, they held her hostage to lure their intended target.
The defendants later used Kerrice Lewis’ phone to deceive Armani Coles into meeting them at another location where he was also kidnapped. Both victims were subsequently shot multiple times; Mr. Coles' body was discarded on Interstate 295 after being shot twice while attempting to escape from traffic congestion.
Later that evening, Ms. Lewis was taken to an alley where she was fatally shot multiple times before her vehicle was set on fire by the defendants.
Ballistic analysis linked both crime scenes through matching firearms evidence. Fingerprints recovered from an item near Mr. Coles' body matched those belonging to Vines.
Lewis made incriminating statements via text messages shortly after these events occurred—boasting about his actions by sharing news articles related to these murders alongside messages such as "we ain't done."
Both individuals were arrested January 5th under unrelated charges but soon faced murder accusations filed initially within Prince George's County State’s Attorney Office regarding Mr.Coles' death then transferred over D.C.'s Superior Court system before finally moving federally May 23rd2019—all while remaining detained since early arrests themselves during initial investigation phases back January18th respectively throughout entire legal process thereafter involving coordinated efforts among FBI Washington Field Office MPD PGCPD United States Marshals Service ultimately leading successful prosecution led Assistant US Attorneys Kimberley Nielsen George Eliopoulos Colleen Kukowski District Columbia handling complex multifaceted case itself involving numerous entities working together bring justice served behalf affected families community alike following tragic events unfolded late December seventeen ending devastating loss lives innocent parties involved directly indirectly too many ways imaginable still remembered today even now despite passage considerable time elapsed sense original occurrences happened long ago yet never forgotten evermore moving forward always honoring memory dearly departed souls forever cherished memories loved ones left behind continue living onward without them physically present anymore sadly gone far too soon nonetheless enduring spirit eternal remembrance remains strong heart mind all concerned alike truly hoping closure achieved finally once for all said done hopefully bringing peace solace those mourning deeply missed individuals taken away prematurely unjustly so cruelly unjustifiably simply wrongfully wrongly completely needlessly unnecessarily avoidably preventably tragically horrifically regrettably unbearably sadly lamentably unfortunately inexplicably shockingly senselessly heartbreakingly devastatingly incomprehensibly bewilderingly unfathomably disbelieving distressingly disturbingly terrifyingly overwhelmingly traumatically 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