Terrell Poe Gets 45 Years for Murder at DC Bus Stop

A brutal murder at a busy DC bus stop in 2020 has finally been brought to justice with a 45-year prison sentence for the killer, Terrell Poe.

Terrell Poe, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 45 years in prison for his role in the murder of 30-year-old Christopher Washington in September 2020. The sentence was handed down by Superior Court Judge Michael O'Keefe on February 15, 2024, a day after a jury found Poe guilty on three counts of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and unlawful possession of a firearm.

At 2:24 p.m. on September 23, 2020, Christopher Washington was waiting at the bus stop on Southern Avenue, SE when Poe pulled up in a stolen white pickup truck. Poe got out of the truck, armed with an assault rifle, and shot Mr. Washington to death. Just minutes earlier, in a local church parking lot, Poe had switched from his girlfriend's car into the stolen pickup truck and gone looking for Mr. Washington.

The government presented evidence that Poe had passed Mr. Washington as he walked up Indian Head Highway in Maryland, then turned around and followed Mr. Washington, apparently losing sight of him, and then finding him again at the bus stop. After the murder, Poe returned to the church parking lot, dropped off the stolen truck and drove off in his girlfriend's car.

U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department commended the work of the investigators from the department who worked tirelessly on the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter V. Roman and Wes Faulkner who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.

The sentence of 45 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, brings a measure of justice to the family and loved ones of Christopher Washington. It also serves as a reminder that in Washington D.C., violent crimes will not be tolerated and those who commit them will be held accountable.