Teen suspect charged in cold case murder after nearly three years
WASHINGTON, DC – A teenager already behind bars was charged Tuesday in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred nearly three years ago on a quiet Southeast DC street, bringing closure to a long-unsolved homicide.
It was just after sunrise on a Saturday in May when gunfire pierced the calm of Stanton Road. Responding officers discovered a man lying unresponsive near the 3400 block, struck by bullets. Emergency crews arrived swiftly, but the man was already dead. He was later identified as 36-year-old Little Price Jr. of Bladensburg, Maryland.
For years, the case remained open—without any arrests or public developments. That changed Tuesday when the Capitol Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, acting on a DC Superior Court order, served a warrant on an 18-year-old inmate currently held in DC Jail. Officials said the suspect was only 15 at the time of the killing, which took place on May 20, 2023.
The individual, who has not been named due to his age at the time of the crime, was formally charged with First Degree Murder while Armed. After the charge was processed, he was returned to the custody of the DC Department of Corrections.
Officials have not released a motive or additional details about how they connected the teen to the shooting. The case had been under investigation since the morning of the incident, when Seventh District officers responded to a call of gunshots just after 8 a.m.
The victim, Price Jr., was pronounced dead at the scene and later transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. No other injuries were reported.
The arrest marks a significant development in a homicide that had gone unsolved for nearly three years. Officials have not indicated whether additional arrests are expected or whether the teen acted alone.
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Key Points
- A teen suspect has been charged in a 2023 DC homicide after being arrested inside the DC Jail
- 36-year-old Little Price Jr. was shot and killed in Southeast DC on May 20, 2023
- The suspect, now 18, was 15 at the time of the killing and has been charged with First Degree Murder