Marquis Funderburk, Armed Robbery, Washington 2022

Marquis Funderburk, 20, a resident of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of two counts of robbery while armed in connection with two separate gunpoint robberies that took place within 30 minutes of each other on January 18, 2022, in the neighborhood surrounding Howard University, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and Chief Robert Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department.

The verdict was returned on May 1, 2023, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Sean Staples scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2023.

According to the government’s evidence, on January 18, 2022, at approximately 11:35 a.m., Funderburk and two associates grabbed a stranger, identified as Victim 1, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. A gun was brandished and pointed at Victim 1’s stomach by one of the men while the other two associates went through Victim 1’s pockets, taking his airpods, iPhone, wallet, and keys.

At approximately noon on the same day, approximately two blocks from the first robbery, Funderburk and three associates grabbed another stranger, identified as Victim 2, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. Funderburk’s associate pressed a gun, concealed inside a fanny pack, into Victim 2’s chin while demanding Victim 2 give them his property. Funderburk punched Victim 2 in the face, after which the defendant and his associates proceeded to punch and kick Victim 2 repeatedly until he fell to the ground bleeding, ultimately resulting in a concussion. As they demanded Victim 2’s account passwords, Funderburk commanded his associate with the gun to shoot Victim 2.

Immediately after the second robbery, an MPD police cruiser, canvassing for the suspects of the first robbery, inadvertently approached the scene of the second robbery. Funderburk and his associates fled from the cruiser, taking with them Victim 2’s laptop, charger, iPhone, and wallet. Funderburk was stopped by police two blocks from the second robbery at approximately 12:30 p.m. He was positively identified by each of the victims independently.

In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated 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, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Carlton, Luca Winer, and Dan Lenerz, Paralegal Specialist Richard Cheatham, Victim/Witness Advocate Christie Bloodworth, and IT Specialist William Henderson.

Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shauna Payyappilly and Katie Sessa, who investigated and prosecuted the case.

Related Federal Cases