The search intensifies for Naqwan Antonio Lucas, an 18-year-old suspect wanted in connection with two separate homicide cases in the District. The Metropolitan Police Department is urging the public for assistance, as the combined reward for information leading to Lucas' arrest has reached a significant $75,000 total, with contributions from the FBI and the United States Marshals Service.
According to a Metropolitan Police Department release, Lucas' connection to the first case arises from an incident on June 30. Gunshots reported around 10:28 p.m. on the 1200 block of 7th Street, Northwest, resulted in three victims being transported to nearby hospitals, where one, Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, of Granby, Massachusetts, later died. Two teenagers, 17-year-old Kelvin Thomas and 17-year-old Jailen Lucas, have already been apprehended and charged as adults.
The ongoing investigation led detectives to identify Lucas as a suspect in another tragic event that occurred on July 4. Authorities responded to reports of trouble at a residence on the 1700 block of Benning Road, Northeast. They discovered Zoey Kelley, a 17-year-old girl, unconscious with a fatal gunshot wound. Reports confirm that Kelley's death was ruled a homicide by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Lucas stands indicted by a DC Superior Court Grand Jury on charges of First Degree Murder while Armed (Premeditated) for Kelley's death, as detailed by the MPD release.
The Metropolitan Police Department advises anyone with information on Naqwan Lucas' whereabouts to contact the authorities by calling (202) 727-9099 or by texting their tip line at 50411, and to avoid confronting Lucas directly. With a substantial reward set for information leading to his arrest, authorities are ramping up efforts to locate Lucas, and bring a resolution to these two homicide cases.
