Six people were sentenced in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on Thursday for their roles in a 2021 triple homicide that took place during Labor Day weekend. The sentencing followed convictions on 27 felony charges related to the murders, which occurred outside 633 Longfellow Street, NW.
According to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, three of the defendants received sentences exceeding 100 years for their participation as shooters and conspiracy involvement: Erwin Dubose was sentenced to 123 years, Kamar Queen to 120 years, and William Johnson Lee to 105 years. Damonta Thompson was sentenced to 35 years for his role in driving the others to and from the scene. Mussay Rezene received a three-year sentence for accessory after the fact to first-degree murder while armed and tampering with evidence. Toyia Johnson was sentenced to two years with execution suspended after being convicted as an accessory after the fact and for tampering with evidence.
A jury found Dubose, Queen, Johnson Lee, and Thompson guilty on July 3, 2025, of charges including conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, three counts of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, and assault with intent to kill while armed. Johnson was found guilty of tampering with physical evidence and being an accessory after the fact; Rezene was convicted of similar charges.
Government evidence presented at trial indicated that on September 4, 2021, Thompson drove Dubose, Queen, and Johnson Lee to Longfellow Street where they opened fire into a neighborhood gathering before fleeing in the vehicle driven by Thompson. Three individuals—Donetta Dyson (31), Keenan Braxton (24), and Johnny Joyner (37)—were killed; three others were wounded but survived.
Shortly after the incident, Toyia Johnson made multiple false reports claiming that the suspect vehicle had been stolen. On September 6, Dubose and Rezene set fire to this vehicle in an attempt to destroy evidence. Authorities determined that this triple homicide was retaliation for another shooting that had taken place about an hour earlier.
Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department joined U.S. Attorney Pirro in announcing these sentences. "In announcing the sentence," said U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith jointly, "U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Colleen Kukowski and Charles R. Jones, who prosecuted the case."
