WASHINGTON D.C. – A D.C. teenager faces a potential life sentence after a jury found him guilty today of two counts of first-degree murder while armed, stemming from the separate, chilling killings of an off-duty United States Secret Service officer and a 15-year-old boy. Maurice Bellamy, 19, of Washington, D.C., stood accused of executing both victims in cold blood, a claim the jury clearly believed.
The first killing took place on December 15, 2015, in the 4700 block of First Street SW. Bellamy, alongside two accomplices, targeted Arthur Earl Baldwin Jr., 30, an off-duty Secret Service officer. According to the government’s evidence, the trio approached Baldwin’s parked car, demanding he open the trunk. Finding nothing of value, Bellamy opened fire as Baldwin attempted to escape, with one of the accomplices joining in the barrage. The group then stole Baldwin’s wallet, cell phone, and iPad before fleeing the scene. Baldwin succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds at a local hospital.
Just four months later, on March 26, 2016 – the day before Easter – Bellamy struck again, this time at the Deanwood Metro station in the 4700 block of Minnesota Avenue NE. The victim: Davonte Washington, a 15-year-old boy on his way to get a haircut with his mother and two younger sisters. Bellamy, believing Davonte was “mugging” on him, pulled a .38-caliber revolver and shot the teen at close range in the chest. Davonte died from two gunshot wounds. The entire horrifying incident was captured on Metro surveillance video.
The evidence presented to the jury painted a grim picture of Bellamy’s callous disregard for human life. Jurors found Davonte Washington’s murder “especially cruel, atrocious and heinous,” and determined the murder of Arthur Earl Baldwin Jr. was committed during the course of an armed robbery. These findings significantly increase the severity of the potential sentencing. Bellamy could now face life in prison with no possibility of release for each offense.
Bellamy was arrested just two days after Davonte Washington’s murder and has remained in custody ever since. Investigators quickly linked the same .38-caliber revolver to both killings. U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Peter Newsham, and Metro Transit Police Chief Ron Pavlik jointly announced the guilty verdict, commending the tireless work of the investigators and prosecutors involved in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah Sines and Glenn Kirschner successfully prosecuted Bellamy, building a solid case based on forensic evidence, witness testimony, and damning surveillance footage. Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2018, where Bellamy will finally face the consequences of his brutal actions. The District of Columbia awaits the judge’s decision, hoping for a sentence that reflects the gravity of these senseless crimes.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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