OXON HILL, MD — A 55-year-old man has died more than a week after suffering severe head trauma in a violent assault outside a business, prompting homicide charges against the suspect already in custody.
Key Points
- Victim Thomas Johnson IV died April 10 from injuries sustained in April 2 assault
- Suspect DeAndre Washington, 32, was arrested April 8 and is held without bond
- Police say motive remains unknown and the victim and suspect did not appear to know each other
Assault turned homicide investigation
The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Unit has taken over the investigation following the death of Thomas Johnson IV, of Washington, D.C. Johnson was assaulted on April 2 around 9:50 a.m. in the 2300 block of Iverson Street in Oxon Hill. Officers arriving on the scene found him outside a business with life-threatening head injuries. He succumbed to those injuries on April 10.
Investigators from Division IV-Oxon Hill quickly identified the suspect as 32-year-old DeAndre Washington of Temple Hills. An arrest warrant was issued charging Washington with attempted first-degree murder and related offenses.
Suspect apprehended before victim’s death
The department’s Fugitive Unit located and arrested Washington on April 8, two days before Johnson’s death. Police say the preliminary investigation shows the assault occurred outside of a store and that the two men did not appear to know each other.
Washington is currently being held without bond by the Department of Corrections. Detectives are working with the State’s Attorney’s Office to upgrade the charges to reflect the fatal outcome.
The motive for the assault remains under investigation, according to officials.
