Darrell Hinkle, 37, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for the 2023 murder of Dajuan Blakney. Hinkle pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed, the U.S. Department of Justice reported.
The shooting occurred shortly after midnight on April 21, 2023, outside an apartment complex at 1511 19th Street SE. Hinkle approached Blakney, who was sitting on the steps, and shot him with an assault-style rifle before leaving the scene.
The sentence, handed down by Judge Jason Park, includes 21 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Hinkle has been in custody since his arrest in October 2023. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Carson, with Metropolitan Police Department Interim Chief Jeffrey W. Carroll involved in the announcement.
