Marcellus Thomas, a 22-year-old African-American man from Northeast Washington, D.C., is remembered by those who knew him as big-hearted, loving, joyful, and funny. Friends recall him as an energetic and talkative person who was also described as giving, smart, and goofy. He attended several schools in the city, including LaSalle Elementary, Paul Middle School, and Coolidge High School. At various times, he worked at Safeway and Shoppers Food. His life, however, was cut short by violence before he had the chance to build the future he was working toward.
In the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, September 25, 2016, a day of violence descended on a corner of Northeast D.C. At approximately 2:40 a.m., members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Fourth District responded to a call for the sounds of gunshots near Nicholson Street and Kensington Place NE. While en route, officers were flagged down in the rear of the 400 block of Riggs Road NE, in the Lamond Riggs neighborhood.
There, they discovered Marcellus Thomas, unconscious and suffering from a gunshot wound.
Emergency medical personnel were called to the scene, but their life-saving efforts were futile. Marcellus was pronounced dead at the location where he was found. His body was later transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Family members reported that Marcellus had been shot in the head during a drive-by shooting. They also shared that he had recently been discharged from a hospital where he was being treated for kidney failure.
The investigation into Marcellus's murder was launched by detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch. The violent day in the neighborhood was not over. Later that evening, around 7:30 p.m., gunfire erupted again just a few blocks away on Oglethorpe Street NE. Three people were wounded in that shooting, including a 93-year-old woman who was grazed by a bullet as she entered her home. Police believed the two shootings were connected, compounding the fear and grief that gripped the community. Then-Mayor Muriel Bowser, who used to live on the block where the second shooting occurred, visited the scene that night.
Despite the initial investigation and the suspected link between the two shootings, no suspects have ever been publicly identified in the killing of Marcellus Thomas. His case is one of many unsolved homicides in the District of Columbia from that year, a painful reality for families and a persistent challenge for law enforcement. The lack of witnesses willing or able to come forward often hampers such investigations, leaving a void of information and a delay in justice.
Years have passed since Marcellus Thomas was killed, but his case remains open. The Metropolitan Police Department continues to seek assistance from the public to solve this homicide. As of September 2016, the case is still under active investigation. A reward of up to $25,000 is offered to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for his death. Authorities urge anyone with information to contact the police at 202-727-9099 or to submit an anonymous tip by texting 50411.
