Damon McQuarters Gets 22 Years for Cold-Blooded DC Gas Station Execution

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A brazen daylight execution outside a Northeast D.C. gas station has landed Damon McQuarters, 45, of Washington, D.C., a 22-year prison sentence. McQuarters was sentenced October 24, 2025, for the August 2024 murder of Michael Simpson, a shooting that shocked residents and left a community reeling.

According to court documents, McQuarters approached Simpson, who was simply socializing with friends in a tree box outside the Citgo gas station located at 3820 Minnesota Ave. NE, at approximately 5:35 p.m. on August 24, 2024. Without a word, McQuarters calmly retrieved a handgun from his shorts pocket and fired a single shot into Simpson’s head. The cold-blooded act was captured by witnesses, who described McQuarters casually placing the weapon back in his pocket and walking away as if nothing had happened.

Simpson was rushed to a local hospital, but succumbed to his injuries the following day. McQuarters pleaded guilty on May 30, 2025, to one count of second-degree murder in Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Judge Danya Dayson accepted a plea agreement and handed down the 22-year sentence, followed by five years of supervised release. The sentence fell within the agreed-upon range of 21 to 25 years.

“This was a senseless act of violence that robbed a man of his life and left a family and community grieving,” stated U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. While the details are grim, the swift prosecution and sentencing should send a message that such behavior will not be tolerated on the streets of D.C.

Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith joined Pirro in announcing the sentence, praising the diligent work of the officers and detectives who investigated the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also highlighted the contributions of Paralegal Specialist Kelly Blakeney, Victim/Witness Advocate Latrice Washington-Williams, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Coronado, who successfully prosecuted McQuarters.

Grimy Times Note: This case was delayed in publication due to a recent government shutdown. The press release was made available following the resumption of normal government operations. The delay does not diminish the gravity of this violent act, nor the justice served with McQuarters’ lengthy prison term.