Jamal Matthews, Stefon Freshley, Darnell Savoy, Shooting, Washington DC, 2018

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Table of Contents

Defendants Sentenced for Deadly 2018 Washington DC Shooting

WASHINGTON DC – In a tragic case of mistaken identity, three men have been sentenced for their roles in a deadly 2018 shooting in Washington DC’s Clay Terrace neighborhood.

On December 28, 2018, victims were standing along the curb in their SUV on 54th Street Northeast, waiting for a friend to arrive so they could leave to attend a WWE wrestling event. However, Jamal Matthews, 34, mistook their vehicle for the same one that had shot at him and his cousin three days earlier, resulting in his cousin’s death.

Matthews called another individual, who then called Stefon Freshley, 28. Moments later, Freshley and Darnell Savoy, 25, entered Savoy’s Nissan Altima and drove to Matthews, who entered the vehicle with an assault rifle.

All three defendants approached the 200 block of 54th Street Northeast, where Matthews fired approximately 30 shots at the SUV. The minor victim was shot nine times, including in the head, abdomen, chest, and back. The adult victim sustained gunshot wounds to his leg and hand.

On August 30, 2024, Matthews was sentenced to 21 years in prison, with an additional five years for obstruction of justice, for a total of 26 years. Savoy received a nine-year sentence, to be served consecutively to his five-year sentence for his federal possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense case. Freshley was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison.

All three defendants pleaded guilty on March 29, 2024, before Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe. The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.

The investigation into the case was commended by U.S. Attorney Graves, Chief Smith, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott, who praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberley Nielsen and Sharon Donovan were also commended for their work in investigating and prosecuting the case.

The case serves as a tragic reminder of the devastating consequences of mistaken identity and the importance of prioritizing the safety of all individuals in our communities.