Maryland Man Gets 18 Years for Armed Murder

A cold-blooded killer has been locked up for 18 years after gunning down a 19-year-old bystander in a brutal and senseless act of violence.

David Botchway, 20, of Gwynn Oak, MD, was sentenced on May 31, 2024, to 18 years in prison for second degree murder while armed for the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Andre Baker, of Washington, D.C.

At around 5:01 a.m. on August 5, 2023, Botchway approached Baker and two friends near a bus stop in the 1200 block of U Street Northwest, after they had enjoyed a night out in the U Street neighborhood. Without warning or provocation, Botchway pointed a gun at Baker and shot him multiple times in the head and torso.

Baker died a short time later, and one of the bullets also grazed one of the victim’s friends.

U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.

They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Nebiyu Feleke of the Homicide section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt also ordered Botchway to complete five years of supervised release, register as a gun offender, pay a fine to victim’s compensation fund, and receive mental health treatment.

The sentence was a result of the government’s evidence, which showed that Botchway had acted with reckless disregard for human life.