A Maryland man, David Botchway, was sentenced to 18 years in a federal prison on charges of second degree murder while armed, according to an announcement made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Botchway, 20, of Gwynn Oak, MD, received his sentence for the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Andre Baker of Washington, D.C.
The sentencing, delivered by Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt on May 31, 2024, also includes a five-year term of supervised release for Botchway after his incarceration. Additionally, he is mandated to register as a gun offender, pay a fine to the victim’s compensation fund, and, receive mental health treatment. This decision comes after a shocking early morning incident last year on August 5, when Botchway approached Baker and two friends at a U Street Northwest bus stop and shot Baker multiple times.
Authorities detailed that the incident occurred around 5:01 a.m. after Baker had spent the evening in the U Street neighborhood. Botchway's attack was unprovoked, and he shot Baker in the head and torso. Baker succumbed to his injuries shortly after the shooting, which also resulted in a grazed bullet injury to one of Baker's accompanying friends.
In the wake of Botchway’s sentencing, commendations were given by U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith to the Metropolitan Police Department for their investigative efforts. They offered specific acknowledgement to Assistant U.S. Attorney Nebiyu Feleke of the Homicide section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, for his work, on the case. Complete details of the case and sentencing were released on the official Department of Justice website.
