PG-Politics: Gory Prince Georges: Catching up, 15 recent homicides

(Updated 30 Jul 2006)

Having been out of town for several weeks, I have been unable to keep current with news about county homicides. I do expect to catch up with more detailed information, indexes, and mapping later in the year. This posting is a summary of homicides reported since my last detailed posting on June 13.

Editorial comment:

County Executive Jack B. Johnson has recently bragged about reducing violent crime in the county, He cites a reduction in homicides this year compared to the same time last year.

Johnson's claims distort his real record. Even though his term is not yet over, the homicide toll under Johnson already exceeds by over 24% the number of homicides in his predecessor's final term. If this year's rate contiunes through the remaining four and a fraction monts of Johnson's term, he will finish his term with a 33% increase over his predecessor.

The local press seems to think that this long-term increase in the county death toll is progress, or so it has been characterized by both "news" reports and an editorial in the Washington Post. I don't know if this is an example of pro-Johnson bias by the Post, or simply superficial reporting that relies too much on government press releases and not on real research and inviestigation The unfortunate result is the the public is being misled about Johnson's record.

Also, it is difficult to document, but it seems to me that as this year has progressed, the local press has reduced its reporting on homicides in the county. The Examiner published far more about county homicides in early 2005 than it has in 2006. The Post and the Gazette seem to have missed a number of the recent homicides. And the number of detailed stories by the Post seems to have been reduced and replaced by "Briefs" with little analysis or attempt to related homicides to other conty concerns. For an example, see my note below under Corey Oneal Holland, one of several recent vixtims murdered near an otherwise improving retail and restaurant environment. Will customers flock to these improving areas when they turn into homicide centers?

Recent homicides:

Edward Bennett Douglass, 24

Shot by police, 26 Jul 2006, 11:30 pm
Shot at Central Avenue and Addison Road, 20743 (6.068)

(Within one mile of DC, 7, 24)

Captured in 4900 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, 20746 (6.068)

(Within 2 miles of DC, 7, 25)

Victim's address: 100 block, Daimler Drive, 20743

(Within 2 miles of DC, 7, 24)

Sources:

Police, 28 Jul 2006
Examiner, 28 Jul 2006 (Jacobson).

Post, 28 Jul 2006 (Casteneda)

29 Jul 2006

nbc4.com, 27 Jul 2006
wjla.com, 27 Jul 2006 (AP)

Francisco Martinez, 46

Stabbed, 23 Jul 2006, 3:25 am
Location: 9000 block, 5th Street, 20706 (6.067)

(Outside the Beltway, 3, 22)

Sources:

Police, 24 Jul 2006
Gazette, 27 Jul 2006 (Garner).
Post, 24 Jul 2006 (Laris).

Anthony Adams, 28

Shot, 16 Jul 2006, 3:00 am
Location: 9700 block, Good Luck Road, 20706 (6.066)

(Outside the Beltway, 4,22)

Victim's address: 1700 block, Constitution Avenue, Washington, DC
Suspect: Eugene Calvin Leach, 32

Last known address: 700 block, Kenyon Street, NW, Washington, DC.

Sources:

Police, 16 Jul 2006, 26 Jul 2006
Gazette, 20 Jul 2006 (Flanagan).
Post, 17 Jul 2006 (Marimow).

27 Jul 2006

Unidentified man, 34

Shot, 11 Jul 2006, 10:15 pm
Location: 3700 block, Windom Road, 20722 (6.065)

(Less than one mile from DC, 2, 47)

Unidentified suspect, 41, arrested
Sources:

Police, 12 Jul 2006

Police said "His identity will be released once his next of kin has been notified," but had not posted an online press release with the information over two weeks later.

Gazette, no report found online
Post, 27 Jul 2006 (victim not identified)

Corey Oneal Holland, 34

Shot, 2 Jul 2006, 6:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania Avenue and Donnell Drive, 20747 (6.064)

(Inside the Beltway, 6, 25)
Violence is rapidly increasing near this main intersection by two recently upgraded shopping centers, including a new Target and several sit-down restaraunts. It is within one mile of six other homicides so far this year and six last year, 1.04 miles from the July 1 murder of Calvin Stith, and less than two blocks from the notorious Powe-Hillian double murder in April, but most of the press did not find any of these facts newsworthy enough to report!