A D.C. Superior Court jury has delivered a guilty verdict against Beysean Jones, aged 29, for the murder of two individuals in a Southeast Washington neighborhood. The jury convicted Jones of first-degree murder while armed, among other charges, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Jones faced accusations related to a July 2022 shooting that resulted in the deaths of Ronald Brown, 19, and Tijuan Wilson, 41. After a trial spanning two weeks, the jury returned the verdict in less than a day of deliberations. Sentencing has been slated for September 20. Although a civilian witness provided testimony about texts from Jones, it was unclear if they had directly witnessed the shooting.

The conflict began with an altercation on July 22, 2022, caught on video at the SC Discount Tobacco and Grocery store. Later, shots from Brown's vehicle were fired at Jones', which prompted a retaliatory response in the form of a subsequent shooting days later, explains the statement. On July 27, 2022, surveillance footage showed at least two shooters firing over 60 rounds at Brown's vehicle in a residential parking lot on the 4300 block of 4th St. SE, leading to Wilson's death and severely injuring his partner of over 18 years.

Investigators managed to trace the casings found near the suspect's vehicle on the scene of the July 27th homicide back to Jones, implicating him in the earlier shooting involving Brown. The arrest was made on November 1, 2022, with Jones remaining in custody since, aided by evidence collected, including ballistics and DNA evidence, as well as video surveillance and ShotSpotter audio, the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed.

The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case prosecution saw Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Antonelli and Zach Horton at the helm. Further details on the case and developments leading up to the sentencing will be followed closely.