Georgetown police have issued an arrest warrant for 28-year-old Justice Marquez Washington for his alleged involvement in the double homicide that occurred on December 6th. The victims, James William Yost and Kenneth Michael Wade Clanton, were found at their residence on Pipe Creek Lane, with Yost discovered in the front yard and Clanton inside the home. This information was confirmed by the CBS Austin report.
Washington had been in custody at the Williamson County Jail since December 6, for a series of other charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault causing bodily injury, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Following further investigations, Georgetown police have now charged him with capital murder, raising his bond to a collective $650,000 across all charges. As reported by FOX 7 Austin, the evidence against Washington includes video footage and other physical evidence from the scene.
The backstory of the crime reveals a complex relationship web involving the suspect and both victims. According to family members of the deceased, Kenneth Clanton, there was an intimate relationship among the three men living in the home. The investigation into the motive is ongoing, but there are suggestions of internal conflict regarding the nature of the relationship. "He looked like he was on something, like on something," Pablo Rico, the manager of the Domino's where Washington later assaulted employees, told FOX 7 Austin.
Just two days after the homicides, an incident at a local Domino's involved Washington in a violent altercation that led to additional charges. Authorities later apprehended Washington in a parking lot close to the restaurant. "He kind of lifted his shirt up. You see a little metal hook popping out of his pants. And he pulls it out and starts swinging it, so I put my hand out, and he hits me right here," Rico recounted the attack, according to FOX 7 Austin. Washington's behavior throughout the altercation, including erratic actions such as swinging dough trays and rummaging through a fridge before leaving, suggests a disordered state of mind at the time.
Looking ahead, Justice Washington's legal trajectory will be shaped by the evidence at hand, and the weight of the capital murder charge carries severe implications. The Georgetown Police Department's collection of evidence from the crime scene will play a pivotal role in the upcoming legal proceedings, underscoring the gravity of the accusations faced by Washington.
