Montez Warren Pleads Guilty in Fatal NE D.C. Shooting

A man was gunned down in a hail of bullets after a backyard cookout turned deadly in Northeast Washington, and now, more than a year later, the shooter has admitted his guilt. Montez Warren, 36, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed in the killing of 24-year-old Dante Miller during the early hours of August 21, 2016.

The shooting unfolded in the 1200 block of 18th Place NE, where a large crowd had gathered for a fish fry and cookout. As the party wound down, an argument erupted between Miller and a woman accompanying Warren. Witnesses say Warren initially tried to break up the fight, but when the verbal clash reignited, he pulled a firearm and opened fire without warning.

According to court filings, Warren fired multiple rounds at Miller as the younger man attempted to flee. The gunfire didn’t stop when Miller stumbled or fell. Instead, Warren approached his stricken victim, stood over him, and fired several more shots. An autopsy later confirmed eight gunshot wounds — including fatal strikes to the chest and abdomen — sealing the brutality of the attack.

Warren fled the scene in a waiting vehicle and remained on the run until October 12, 2016, when detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) apprehended him. He has been held without bond since his arrest. The investigation relied on forensic work from the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, cell-site analysis from the FBI, and support from the U.S. Park Police and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force.

On February 5, 2018, Warren entered his guilty plea in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before Judge Milton C. Lee. The plea agreement, pending court approval, calls for a prison sentence of 15 to 22 years. Sentencing is scheduled for April 27, 2018, where Warren will finally face the consequences of his actions in a courtroom, not a street corner.

U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu praised the collaborative effort behind the case, highlighting the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Misler and Glenn Kirschner, who led the prosecution. She also recognized Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman, Paralegal Specialist Lornce Applewhite, and investigators across multiple agencies whose relentless work brought a killer to justice — long after the gun smoke cleared.