SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CRIMINAL DIVISION UNITED STATES VS JOSHUA MASSAQUOI Nov. 24, 2015 1. Your Affiant is Detective Jed D. Worrell who has been a sworn member of the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department for over 23 years and is currently investigating the shooting death of Michael Francis Taylor. 2. On Sunday, June 22nd, 2008, at approximately 7:45 am, uniformed officers of the Fourth Police District received a radio assignment for a body found in the rear of 610 Farragut Street, NW. Officers went to that location and found Michael Francis Taylor laying face down and suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Taylor, hereafter to be referred to as the decedent, was pronounced dead on the scene by an Investigator of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia. 3. Members of the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch were notified and responded to the area to conduct the follow up investigation. The decedent's remains were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia, pending the results of their post mortem examination. 4. As a result of the ongoing investigation, items of evidence recovered at the crime scene included expended 22 caliber cartridge casings, and live rounds of 22 caliber ammunition. 5. On Monday, June 23, 2008, an autopsy was conducted on the decedent?s remains. Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Doctor Sara Colvin ruled the decedent's cause of death to be a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death to be homicide. An examination of the decedent?s body at autopsy revealed that the decedent suffered from a gunshot wound to the back of his head. The decedent was also found to have a laceration on the back of his head, consistent with blunt force trauma. 6. Several witnesses interviewed during the initial investigation provided the following information: Witness number one, hereinafter referred to as W?l, was The events and acts described above occurred primarily in the District of Columbia and were committed as described by defendant(s) listed in the case caption. The foregoing statement was made under penaity of criminal prosecution and punishment for false statements pursuant to DC. Code 22-2514 November 24, 2015 1321492 09 Police Officer Badge Unit Witness Deputy Clerk Worrell, Jed 2333 @Yen mu; Printed Name of Member Printed Name of Witness Deputy Clerk 1 of 6 SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CRIMINAL DIVISION UNITED STATES VS JOSHUA MASSAQUOI Nov. 24, 2015 interviewed and stated that on the morning of Sunday, June 22, 2008, at around 12:30 am, ?it" heard several gunshots in the alley located in the rear of the 600 block of Farragut Street, NW. W-l said that following the first shot, ?it? heard a male voice cry out. Moments after the gunshots, W?l stated that ?it? observed a dark colored truck like vehicle drive at a high rate of speed through the alley. W-l described the gunshots as coming from the area where the decedent's body was eventually found. 7. A second witness, hereinafter referred to as was interviewed and stated that on the evening of Saturday, June 21, 2008, at around 10:30 pm to 11:15 pm, ?it" observed the decedent at a location in Silver Spring, Maryland. W?l said that it appeared that something was troubling the decedent and that he did not seem like himself. W-2 said that ?it" heard the decedent state that he had given his car keys to another individual, and that the decedent did not have his vehicle. said that ?it? heard the decedent requesting to use a cell phone to call S?l. said that ?it" observed the decedent talking on a cell phone, and that following the conversation, ?it? heard the decedent say that he was going to meet and that he saw the decedent walk to a nearby recreation center at around 11:30 pm. 8. stated that ?it? has known 8?1 for several years and knows him to be an associate of the decedent. identified a confirmation photograph of 8-1. said that 5-1 is known to drive a blue Mercedes Benz truck with DC Tags. said that ?it" learned that the decedent had been killed the following morning. 9. A third witness, hereinafter referred to as was interviewed and stated that ?it? observed the decedent at a Silver Spring location. W-3 said that ?it? heard the decedent say that he was involved in a drug deal that went bad. said that the decedent looked scared. W-3 said that ?it? heard the decedent say that he helped broker a drug deal between 8-1 and another male subject. stated that the decedent explained that S-1 and several of his associatesprovided money to the decedent. The decedent further explained to W-3 that he provided the The events and acts described above occurred primarily in the District of Columbia and were committed as described by defendant(s) listed in the case caption. The foregoing statement as made under penaity of criminal prosecution and punishment for false statements pursuant to DC. Code 22-2514 November 24, 2015 MM 09 Police Officer Badge Unit Witness Deputy Clerk Worrell, Jed 2333 Qh??n Printed Name of Member Printed Name of Witness Deputy Clerk 2 of 6 SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CRIMINAL DIVISION UNITED STATES VS JOSHUA MASSAQUOI Nov. 24, 2015 money to the arranged supplier, who kept the money and left the area without furnishing and his associates with what was described by the decedent as being (3) three to (4) pounds of marijuana. said that the decedent stated that and his associates gave the supplier three or four thousand dollars for the marijuana. 10. W-3 explained that ?it" heard the decedent say that the decedent had given his car keys to 8?1 as collateral, that he was afraid to return to his vehicle, and that 8?1 was en route to their location which was a recreation center, located in Silver Spring, Maryland. said that ?it" heard the decedent talk of his desire to explain to 8-1 that he did not have anything to do with the botched drug transaction. 11. said that moments later, at around 12:00 am, on June 22, 2008, it observed a blue colored Mercedes Benz truck with DC Tags arrive at the recreation center. said that the vehicle was occupied by (4) four subjects and that from ?its? vantage point ?it" could not see their faces. said that at least one friend of the decedent pleaded with him not to get into the vehicle. W-3 said that the decedent entered the vehicle which sped away from the recreation center. 12. said that after the Mercedes Benz drove away from the recreation center, ?it? observed a vehicle occupied by a friend of the decedent follow behind the Mercedes Benz. said that ?it" learned the following morning that the decedent had been killed. 13. No arrest was made in the immediate aftermath of this shooting. On August 25, 2015, Joshua Massaquoi voluntarily approached the Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch and stated that he had information pertaining to the shooting death of Michael Taylor on June 22, 2008. Massaquoi has voluntarily met with detectives on multiple occasions over the past few months. He was interviewed three times, with all interviews being video recorded. It should be noted that in the second and third interviews, he indicated that he was not The events and acts described above occurred primarily in the District of Columbia and were committed as described by defendant(s) listed in the case caption. The foregoing statement as made under penaity of criminal prosecution and punishment for false statements pursuant to DC. Code 22-2514 November 24, 2015 MW . m. PoP?ce Officer Badge Unit Witness Deputy Clerk Worrell, Jed 2333 QDVEVI Printed Name of Member Printed Name of Witness Dep'uty?Clerk 3 of 6 SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CRIMINAL DIVISION UNITED STATES VS JOSHUA MASSAQUOI Nov. 24, 2015 completely forthcoming in the first interview. Massaquoi states as follows: 14. Massaquoi has known 8?1 (the same individual identified by since the seventh grade. On the evening of June 22, 2008, Massaquoi visited 8.1 at S-l?s apartment in Tacoma Park. Another individual, 8?2, was present. Massaquoi states that he was aware that 8-1 and the decedent had worked together to broker a drug deal for the purchase of marijuana in the days leading up to June 22. That evening, Massaquoi stayed in S-1's apartment after 8?1 and 8-2 left, and took a nap. 15. 8-1 returned to the apartment later that evening and stated that he had been robbed, and stated to Massaquoi that he had been ?played? by the decedent. and Massaquoi drove to Massaquoi?s sister's residence in S-l's blue Mercedes truck. Massaquoi retrieved a .22 caliber long nosed pistol which Massaquoi kept at his sister?s apartment. The gun was loaded with between 9 toll rounds of .22 caliber bullets. l6. Massaquoi and 8-1 at some point picked up 8?2. 8-1 called the decedent to arrange a meeting. Massaquoi states that S?l had taken the decedent?s car keys as collateral for the drug money, and 8-1 told the decedent that S-l would pick him up to take him to his (the decedent?s) car. 17. 8?1, 8-2, and Massaquoi drove towards a recreation center in Silver Spring, Maryland. On the way, Massaquoi stopped the car, removed the pistol from the bag it was in, and wiped both the pistol and the ammunition clean. He then put the pistol back in the bag and handed the bag to 8?1, who put the bag between his legs. 18. 8?1, 8?2, and Massaquoi picked up the decedent at the recreation center. Massaquoi states that as he drove away, he noticed that one of the decedent?s friends got into a car and followed them. Massaquoi drove faster and made multiple turns to lose the car that was following them. This statement is The events and acts described above occurred primarily in the District of Columbia and were committed as described by defendant(s) listed in the case caption. The foregoing statement as made under penalty of criminal prosecution and punishment for false statements pursuant to DC. Code 22-2514 November 24, 2015 MM .9 0A, Police Officer Badge Unit Witness Deputy Clerk Worrell, Jed 2333 Gorenbe?isoj' Printed Name of Member Printed Name of Witness 4 of 6 SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CRIMINAL DIVISION UNITED STATES VS JOSHUA MASSAQUOI NOV. 24, 2015 corroborated by the statement of W-3, who told detectives that a friend of the decedent attempted to follow the blue Mercedes. 19. Massaquoi states he then drove to Colesville Road, then south on 16th Street, NW, and then to Emerson Street, NW, in Washington, DC. He pulled the car into an alley off of Emerson Street and drove up into the alley. Your affiant knows that Emerson Street is directly south of Farragut Street, NW (where the decedent?s body was found). 20. Massaquoi states that he stopped the car in front of a garage. 8-1 was in the front passenger seat, 8?2 was in the rear left passenger seat, behind Massaquoi, and the decedent was in the rear right passenger seat, behind 8?1. 8?1 removed the gun from the bag and exited the vehicle, as did and the decedent. Massaquoi, who remained in the car, saw S-l yell at the decedent and then hit the decedent somewhere in the upper back with a downward, descending blow. He heard the decedent shout, ?No (S?l's name)!" Massaguoi heard multiple gunshots, and could not see the gun itself but saw flashes of light. 21. 8?1 and 8?2 re?entered the car, and Massaquoi drove off. He quickly hit a dead end in the alley, and then had to drive in reverse to get out. Massaquoi states that S?l soon stated they had to go back because S-l thought the decedent was still alive, and Massaquoi refused to return. 22. 8-1, 8?2, and Massaquoi returned to S-l's apartment in Tacoma Park, and Massaquoi took his pistol back from 8?1. Massaquoi first hid the pistol underneath a tennis court behind the apartment, and then stashed the pistol in the wooded area nearby. Massaquoi then drove 8?1 to pick up the decedent?s car, which was parked near the apartment. Massaquoi followed as 8?1 drove the decedent?s car to an apartment complex near Adelphi road, near a school, a shopping center, and a restaurant called the ?Golden Bull.? S-l left the decedent?s car at that location, and Massaquoi took and 8?2 back to S?l's apartment. The events and acts described above occurred primarily in the District of Columbia and were committed as described by defendant(s) listed in the case caption. The foregoing statement as made under penaity of crim?nal prosecution and punishment for false statements pursuant to DC. Code 22-2514 November 24, 2015 1321492 09 Police Officer Badge Unit Witness Deputy Clerk Worrell, Jed 2333 05?6? WESUS Printed Name of Member Printed Name of Witness Deputy Clerk 5 of 6 SUPERIOR COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CRIMINAL DIVISION UNITED STATES VS JOSHUA MASSAQUOI Nov. 24, 2015 23. Your affiant's investigation has revealed that the decedent?s car was ultimately found on November 6, 2008, by a towing company who removed the car from an apartment complex at 9004 Riggs Road, just off Adelphi Street. This complex is directly across the street from where the now closed ?Golden Bull" restaurant operated in 2008. 24. Since first approaching police in August of 2015, Massaquoi has continued to profess his own guilt as the person who provided the gun to 8?1 that was used to kill the decedent, and as the person who drove 8?1 and 8-2 both before and after the shooting. He states that he thought it was possible that 8-1 was going to shoot the decedent,rand that he was not surprised S?l shot the decedent after he stopped in the alley. He stated that when they entered the alley, Massaquoi thought to himself, ?It's about to go down.? He states that he was ?complicit? in the murder of the decedent and has even demanded from both police and the US Attorney?s office that he be arrested for this crime. 25. Based on the information presented, your Affiant submits that probable cause exists to believe that Joshua Massaquoi is responsible for the shooting death of Michael Francis Taylor on June 22, 2008. The events and acts described above occurred primarily in the District of Columbia and were committed as described by defendant(s) listed in the case caption. The foregoing statement was made under penaity of criminal prosecution and punishment for false statements pursuant to DC. Code 22-2514 November 24, 2015 921492 09 POYECE Officer Badge Unit Witness Deputy Clerk Worrell, Jed 2333 (ibYQi/i WHUY Printed Name of Member Printed Name of Witness Deputy Cleri?; 6 of 6