The new year was just beginning in Prince George's County, Maryland, a place that had seen a decrease in homicides in 2006 compared to the year before, though violence was still a present concern for its residents. On the morning of January 1, 2006, in the 5200 block of Marlboro Pike, a major thoroughfare in the Capitol Heights area, the first homicide of the year in the county would be recorded. Antwone Devone Black, a 22-year-old man, was found shot and killed in his car around 9:50 a.m.
When Prince George's County Police officers arrived at the scene, they found Black in his vehicle, a loaded. 40 caliber semi-automatic handgun resting on his lap. A search of the car uncovered more than $5,000 in cash, PCP, marijuana, pills, a scale, and various types of ammunition. It was a scene that suggested a life of risk, a stark contrast to the man remembered by loved ones.
On a memorial page, those who knew him described Antwone, also known as "Twon," as outgoing and friendly, with a great sense of humor. Years later, a message left for him would read, "17 years later this still hurts so bad!!!"
The investigation into the death of the young Forestville native, who had been living on Suitland Road, quickly gained momentum. On January 4th, an anonymous tip led detectives to a crucial lead: a man named Randy McKeever, who had been admitted to a hospital with a gunshot wound. When questioned, McKeever, a 27-year-old from Washington, D.C., initially told police a story about being the victim of an attempted robbery after leaving a Metro station in the city. However, his account of what happened would change.
McKeever later gave a different story to his parole officer and, during his trial, claimed that Black had shot him during a drug transaction that took place in Washington. This new narrative pointed to a violent confrontation between the two men. The Prince George's County State's Attorney's office moved forward with the prosecution, asserting that "Drug-related violence will not be tolerated." The case against McKeever was built, leading to a jury trial where the conflicting stories and evidence would be presented.
In a verdict delivered on September 20, 2007, a jury found Randy McKeever guilty of voluntary manslaughter and the use of a handgun in the commission of a felony in connection with the death of Antwone Black. They acquitted him of the more serious charge of first-degree murder. On November 2, 2007, a judge sentenced McKeever to a total of 30 years in prison: 10 years for the manslaughter conviction and a consecutive 20-year term for the handgun charge.
The case of Antwone Black's death, which began on the first morning of a new year, did not remain a cold case. Though initially listed in some records as unsolved, the investigation led to an arrest and a conviction, bringing a measure of justice for the young man whose life was cut short. While the legal proceedings provided a conclusion to the criminal investigation, the pain of his loss has continued to be felt by those who remembered his outgoing personality and friendly nature.
