Four individuals connected to a murder that took place over a year ago faced arraignment procedures in Superior Court, Washington, D.C., as reported on October 11th by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia. Keyshawn Lavender, Deandre Sams, and Raymond Mathis were charged with a range of serious offenses including conspiracy to commit robbery and felony murder while armed, with a fourth defendant, Deandre Christian, facing assault with intent to kill for his alleged involvement.
During the arraignment, presided over by Superior Court Judge Anthony Epstein, details emerged of the crime committed on September 5, 2023, at an apartment located on M Street in the southwest area of the city, where Lavender, Mathis, and Sams are accused of conspiring to rob and subsequently murder 32-year-old Matthew Miller, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office announcement.
While the trio designated for trial in September of 2025 entered not guilty pleas, and as accusations stand, they remain in custody pending further proceedings, the absence of a trial date for Christian was also noted; their next appearances in court loom as reminders of the glacial pace at which justice can move and the weight of the charges they face. The Metropolitan Police Department was given accolades for their investigative efforts by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, with the prosecution helm in the hands of Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Prins.
