District Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Killing Man in Broad Daylight in Southeast Washington

            WASHINGTON – Kevin Grover, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for killing a man in broad daylight near a food market in Southeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            A second defendant, Justin Robinson, 19, also of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to five years in prison on a related charge.

            Grover pled guilty in October 2018 to second-degree murder, and Robinson pled guilty to assault with intent to kill. Both pleas were in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The pleas, which were contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for Grover to be sentenced to 16 to 20 years in prison and for Robinson to be sentenced to three to seven years of incarceration. The Honorable Judith Bartnoff accepted the pleas and sentenced the men accordingly. Following their prison terms, each defendant will be placed on a period of supervised release: Grover, for five years, and Robinson, for three years.

            According to the government’s evidence, on Feb. 24, 2016, at about 2:30 p.m., Robinson and the victim, Demetrius Medlay, bumped shoulders and briefly argued at a market in the 3100 block of Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue SE. Robinson drove away, but returned to the area about 10 minutes later. He got out of the car holding a handgun with an extended magazine. While waving the gun, he argued with Mr. Medlay on the sidewalk and then drove off.

            Robinson stopped the car at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Esther Place SE at about 2:45 p.m. Grover was standing at the corner. Referring to Mr. Medlay, Robinson said, “You can smoke him,” to which Grover replied, “All right.”

            Moments later, Grover pulled a semi-automatic firearm out of his pocket and pointed it at Mr. Medlay. He shot him twice in the chest. Grover fled the scene. Mr. Medlay ran back to the food market, where he collapsed. Mr. Medlay, 22, was pronounced dead a short time later.

            A law enforcement investigation led to Grover’s arrest in August 2016. Robinson was arrested in in July 2017.

            In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Willoughby, Jr., former Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard DiZinno, Paralegal Specialist Sharon Newman, former Paralegal Specialist Zekiah Wright, and Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Nestler, who investigated and prosecuted the case.