Monday, October 30, 2023

Victim suffered eight gunshot wounds

            WASHINGTON –Andre Smith, 27, and Malachi McFarland, 25, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to second degree murder while armed in the April 2021 shooting death of Kerry Odoms, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

            Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2024, before the Honorable Robert Okun.

            According to the government’s evidence, just prior to the homicide, Kerry Odoms, 29, of Washington, D.C., was socializing on Apr. 15, 2021 with a group of people that included McFarland, in the parking lot of 3319 10th Place SE, in the Congress Heights neighborhood.

            Smith approached the group and moments later, at 9:54 p.m., lunged toward Odoms while firing multiple gunshots. As Smith began shooting at Odoms, McFarland ran a short distance away, returned, and fired a second round of gunshots directly at Odoms. The gunfire from both defendants killed Odoms, who suffered eight gunshot wounds. 

            In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department.  They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Antonelli, Jin Park, and former AUSA Steven Rickard, who investigated and prosecuted the case.