WASHINGTON, DC – Joseph Melton, a 55-year-old resident of Washington, DC, has admitted to charges of second-degree murder while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon, related to incidents on January 14, 2020. The plea was entered on March 25, 2024, as announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith. Sentencing is set for June 14, 2024, by Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe.
The case unfolded when Melton attacked a man he recognized from college thirty years prior, around 9:10 a.m. on Connecticut Ave. NW, threatening and attempting to stab him. The victim escaped unharmed during this initial confrontation.
A second attack occurred at 12:33 p.m. on Vermont Ave., NW, where Melton stabbed another individual, who identified Melton before losing consciousness. The victim survived and has since recovered.
The final and fatal attack took place at 2:33 p.m. on Virginia Ave., NW, against the same individual from the morning’s confrontation, leading to multiple stab wounds and the victim’s subsequent death at the hospital. Melton’s guilty plea brings closure to a day of violence, emphasizing the legal repercussions for such actions.
