James Jackson, Second Degree Murder While Armed, District of Columbia 2022

WASHTINGTON D.C. – A shocking act of violence has shaken the nation, and now, justice is finally being served. James Jackson, 30, of Silver Spring, MD, pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed for the fatal shooting of Christian Monje, 29, of Fairfax, VA, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

The crime took place on May 30, 2022, at approximately 4:30 a.m., when officers of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Second District responded to the 1700 block of Rhode Island Ave, NW, in response to the sounds of gunshots. Officers located Mr. Monje on the steps of St. Matthew’s Cathedral, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to the hospital and died from his injuries a few weeks later.

Detectives recovered surveillance footage from nearby cameras which showed an individual approaching Mr. Monje while he sat on the steps of the church. Cameras also captured the individual fleeing down a nearby alley and ducking behind a dumpster. Detectives searched the area around the dumpster and located a 9mm Polymer80 ‘ghost gun’ that was later determined to be the murder weapon.

The case remained unsolved for months until law enforcement received notice of a CODIS link between a DNA profile obtained from the magazine of the murder weapon and Jackson’s reference DNA profile. CODIS, or the Combined DNA Index System, is a web of federal, state, and local indexes that allows laboratories to exchange DNA profiles electronically, linking crimes to each other and known offenders.

James Jackson, Defendant/respondent REAL full name, faces a sentencing range of 19 to 23 years in prison, announced Superior Court Judge Robert Okun who scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 31, 2024.

The case was investigated by the Homicide Branch of the Metropolitan Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miles Janssen.

Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates on the sentencing hearing and any other developments in the case.

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