Michael Hight, First-Degree Felony Murder While Armed, Washington 2014

Washington DC – In a brutal murder case, Michael Hight, a 26-year-old from Washington DC, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for his role in the 2014 slaying of Willard Carlos Shelton in Southeast Washington.

Hight and his co-defendant, James Young, were found guilty in April 2018 of first-degree felony murder while armed, second-degree murder while armed, armed robbery, first-degree burglary while armed, tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice, and related weapons offenses. The verdicts came after a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

According to the government’s evidence, on August 31, 2014, Shelton, 38, of Alexandria, Va., drove to the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road SE to purchase narcotics. Approximately 10 minutes after Shelton arrived, Hight and Young produced firearms, attempted to rob him, and then pistol-whipped him.

Hight and Young then fired several shots at Shelton, who attempted to escape the onslaught of bullets. One of the bullets struck Shelton in the abdomen, knocking him to the ground. Once the gunshots ended, Young went over to Shelton and took his personal effects, including his wallet and keys. Young then pointed a gun at Shelton’s head, but this time he did not fire.

Shelton later died from his injuries. Following the shooting, Hight and Young fled the scene, broke into a nearby apartment, and hid the firearms used to shoot Shelton. Young later attempted to obstruct justice by making threatening statements directed at a government witness. Hight later attempted to obstruct justice by convincing someone who was not a witness to the shooting to make false statements to law enforcement about the murder.

Hight and Young were arrested in September 2014 and have been in custody ever since. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department Peter Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the MPD. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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