WASHINGTON, D.C. – Another night in the District ended in bloodshed, and now, a 33-year-old man is facing the music. Jeremiah Jordan, of Washington, D.C., was indicted May 22, 2024, on charges stemming from the brutal July 22, 2023, killings of Luke Whitaker, 29, and Zion Hollingsworth-Hayes, 19. The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith, but it’s just the first step in a long road to justice – if justice can be found in these streets.
The Superior Court grand jury slapped Jordan with two counts of first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), meaning prosecutors intend to prove he planned these killings and used a firearm to carry them out. He’s also facing two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm, a particularly damning charge considering his prior conviction. A criminal record clearly didn’t deter this guy.
According to the charging documents, the violence erupted around 9:49 p.m. on July 22, 2023, in the 1400 block of Girard Street, NW. Witnesses say Jordan met with Whitaker and the two quickly escalated into a heated argument. Moments later, shots rang out. Witnesses reported seeing Jordan bolt from the scene, turning the corner onto 14th Street NW. This happened in broad daylight, with ‘numerous people’ milling about – just another summer night gone wrong in the District.
The scene, predictably, was chaos. MPD officers descended on Girard Street, finding Whitaker and Hollingsworth-Hayes suffering from gunshot wounds. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation, led by MPD detectives, quickly zeroed in on Jordan, piecing together witness statements and, presumably, other evidence that led to this indictment. Details of that evidence remain sealed for now.
Jordan is scheduled to be arraigned on June 14, 2024. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Seidel and Shauna Payyappilly are handling the prosecution for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They have a tough case ahead – proving premeditation and connecting Jordan definitively to the gunfire. But they’ll be facing a convicted felon with everything to lose.
It’s crucial to remember, as the DOJ reminds us, that an indictment is not a conviction. Jordan is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. But for the families of Luke Whitaker and Zion Hollingsworth-Hayes, this indictment offers a glimmer of hope – a step towards accountability in a city where too often, the cycle of violence continues unchecked. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the proceedings.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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