WASHINGTON — Chanos Monroe, also known as Chanos Gillis, 41, of District Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to charges of voluntary manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with the 2022 killing of Keith Sistare, 52, at a BP gas station in Northeast Washington, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced.
Monroe’s guilty plea is part of an agreement that calls for a 14-year prison sentence, followed by five years of supervised release. The plea, contingent on the court’s approval, comes after Monroe has been in custody since his arrest on June 25, 2024.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on September 11, 2022, when Monroe and an unidentified man chased down Sistare after he attempted to enter Monroe’s idling vehicle, which was parked outside the BP gas station on Benning Road. Monroe’s fiancée was sitting in the front seat at the time of the attempted theft.
Surveillance footage captured Monroe repeatedly stomping on Sistare’s head as he lay on the ground. After the attack, Monroe retrieved a handgun from his vehicle but was convinced by his fiancée to return to the car without using the weapon. Sistare later died from his injuries.
Monroe faces sentencing pending court approval of the plea agreement.