Murder and Armed Carjacking

Local Man Sentenced to 28 Years for Attempted Murder and Armed Carjacking


March 1, 2010 - WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced that the Honorable Lynn Leibovitz sentenced Christopher “Barbeast” Holmes to 18 years of imprisonment for his role in armed carjacking and related offenses committed in October of 2008, and obstruction of justice committed in the fall of 2008, all in Southeast Washington, D.C. Also today, the Honorable Ronna L. Beck sentenced Holmes to an additional 10 years of imprisonment on the charge of assault with intent to kill while armed, which Holmes committed in November 2008, also in Southeast Washington, D.C.

Holmes, 18, formerly of the 5000 block of Bass Place, Southeast, together with Rashawn “Ra-Ra” King, 17, formerly of the 1200 block of Howison Place, Southwest, was found guilty by a Superior Court jury in October 2009 of armed carjacking, armed robbery, fleeing from law enforcement, destruction of property, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and other offenses. These convictions stemmed from the carjacking and robbery at gunpoint of James Nelson at the corner of 22nd and Savannah Place, SE, Washington, D.C. on October 24, 2008. The jury also found Holmes guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice and three counts of obstruction of justice. King was sentenced in January to 16 years of imprisonment for his role in the offenses.

The government’s evidence at trial showed that at about 5:00 p.m. on October 24, 2008, Holmes drove King to the area outside a barbershop at 22nd and Savannah Place, SE, where Nelson was walking to his car. King got out of the car and pointed a gun at Nelson, taking about $1000 and his keys. King then drove away in Nelson’s car, following Holmes. Within moments after that offense, a few blocks away, a police officer saw the two cars and saw them shooting at people on the sidewalk. The officer initiated pursuit. Holmes was able to escape, but the officer continued to follow King as he drove the victim’s car across the I-295 bridge, weaving in and out of rush hour traffic at a high rate of speed. King was eventually captured near 12th and D Streets, SW. The victim of the carjacking subsequently identified Holmes as one of his attackers, and he was arrested on November 30, 2008, after again trying to flee from the police. In the months after his arrest, Holmes used phones at the D.C. jail to contact other persons in an attempt to reach the victim in an effort to prevent him from testifying against Holmes at trial.

In November 2009, following the jury’s verdict in the carjacking case, Holmes entered a guilty plea to assault with intent to kill while armed in another case then pending against him. In that case, Holmes admitted to shooting at and trying to kill James Brewer on November 24, 2008, at 8:20 p.m. in the 1500 block of Alabama Avenue, SE. According to the facts agreed to by both parties, after Mr. Brewer exited the Congress Heights Metro Station, Holmes followed Mr. Brewer for several blocks until he reached the 1500 block of Alabama Avenue, SE. Holmes then ran up behind Mr. Brewer, who was unarmed, and with the intention of killing him, fired at least five shots at him from a handgun. Mr. Brewer suffered five bullet wounds in the chest, arms, and hands. After being shot, Mr. Brewer managed to run for safety into an International House of Pancakes restaurant that was across the street. He was later transported to the hospital for treatment and survived his injuries.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the outstanding work of the Metropolitan Police Department officers who investigated both cases, including Detective James “JV” Francis, Detective Timothy Francis, and Detective Jonathan Shell. Additionally, he praised the work of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, including several FBI agents assigned to the task force and Park Police Detectives William Sepeck, Paul Edwards, and Wayne Humberson, who also investigated the case and obtained crucial information from Holmes’ jail calls and writings. Finally, Mr. Machen praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Tonolli, who investigated both cases, and Todd Gee, who indicted both cases and tried the carjacking case, and Albert Herring, who handled Holmes’ assault with intent to kill plea.