James G. Walker, a 67-year-old resident of Washington, D.C., received a sentence exceeding 35 years in prison for his role in a row house fire that resulted in the deaths of two individuals in 2019. The fatalities occurred at 708 Kennedy Street, NW, when a fire broke out on August 18th in an illegally operated rooming house without proper fire safety measures. This decision followed Walker's conviction for second-degree murder and multiple building code violations.
The property's hazardous conditions, including the lack of functional smoke alarms and a double-keyed security gate that obstructed exit paths, contributed to the tragedy. Specifically, Fitsum Kebede, 40, and Yafet Solomen, 10, were unable to escape the basement during the fire and succumbed to thermal burns and smoke inhalation.
Authorities emphasized Walker's negligence despite prior warnings from the Metropolitan Police Department in March 2019 regarding the building's fire safety issues. He failed to address these warnings, leading to the lethal consequences.
Alongside the U.S. Attorney's Office and D.C. Attorney General’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) collaborated on the case. U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb emphasized the efforts of the ATF Arson and Explosives Task Force and other contributors, including several legal and investigative personnel who worked diligently on the trial.
The announcement acknowledged the assistance from personnel within the Attorney General's team and those who directly assisted in the trial, underscoring the seriousness of the offenses and the comprehensive legal process involved in securing Walker's conviction and sentencing.
