Washington, DC – Delonte Stevenson, 28, and Vorreze Thomas Jr., 26, both residents of Washington, D.C., have been convicted of first-degree murder while armed in connection with the January 2021 shooting death of 32-year-old Terrance Allen in Southeast Washington, D.C. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith announced the verdicts, which also included convictions for conspiracy, two counts of assault with intent to kill, and various firearms-related offenses.
The jury delivered their verdict after less than one day of deliberation, concluding a 13-day trial presided over by the Honorable Marisa J. Demeo in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Sentencing for Stevenson and Thomas has been set for April 19, 2024.
Trial evidence revealed that on the morning of January 18, 2021, Stevenson and Thomas intercepted Allen’s vehicle as it departed from the Stanton Glen Apartments. From the front passenger seat of their vehicle, Stevenson unleashed thirty-four rifle shots into the rear of Allen’s car, resulting in Allen’s death and wounding two other passengers. The attack, prosecutors stated, was not aimed at Allen but was intended for another individual in the vehicle, stemming from a prior dispute between the assailants and the intended target.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Stevenson and Thomas attempted to escape the scene. An MPD officer, having heard the gunfire, witnessed their flight and initiated a pursuit. Their vehicle eventually crashed at the intersection of 29th and Erie Street SE, from where they fled on foot. Authorities later discovered the murder weapon along their escape route and recovered Thomas’s cell phone from the wreckage of their vehicle.
Following their arrest on February 17, 2021, Stevenson and Thomas have remained in custody. The prosecution’s case included evidence from video surveillance, cell site records, ShotSpotter audio, body-worn camera footage, ballistic tests, and DNA analysis.