On the evening of December 27, 2021, police in North Charleston, South Carolina, were called to the Filbin Creek Apartments on Sumner Avenue. A resident had heard a gunshot from a neighboring apartment and found a bullet hole in her dining room cabinet. When she looked outside, she saw a man in a mask running down the stairs. When officers were unable to make contact with anyone in the adjacent apartment, the property manager was called to let them in.
Upon opening the door, they were met with heavy smoke and heat. After extinguishing a fire, they discovered the bodies of 17-year-old Damarion Champagne and his 21-year-old brother, Jasmond Grant, lying side by side in the living room. Damarion was a Black male from Charleston who had not yet had the chance to finish high school. The coroner later confirmed that both he and his brother had died from gunshot wounds.
The North Charleston Police Department’s investigation quickly identified a suspect: Rashiean Richmond Washington, who was Jasmond Grant’s cousin by marriage and had been his roommate. Investigators found Washington’s mail and identification cards inside the apartment and determined that the fire had been intentionally set with an ignitable liquid. Authorities issued warrants for Washington’s arrest on two counts of murder, second-degree arson, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, cautioning that he should be considered armed and dangerous.
Washington evaded law enforcement for nearly a year. On October 24, 2022, Damarion's father spotted Washington in the Park Circle neighborhood and tipped off the police, stating that Washington had pulled a gun on him. When officers arrived, Washington fled, sparking a manhunt. Nearly two hours later, with the help of K-9 units and air support, police found him hiding in a garbage can and took him into custody.
At his trial, Washington took the stand and claimed he acted in self-defense during a dispute over money, repeatedly stating that he had "neutralized the threat." He alleged that the victims had started the fire. Prosecutors presented evidence that contradicted his story, showing that the bullets were fired in a downward trajectory, though Washington was significantly shorter than both victims. They detailed how Damarion, who was shot three times, had tried to hide in a kitchen pantry where multiple bullet holes were found in the door and back wall. Evidence indicated Washington then dragged Damarion's body into the living room and used lighter fluid to set the apartment on fire.
On July 17, 2023, after about two hours of deliberation, a Charleston County jury convicted Rashiean Richmond Washington of two counts of murder, second-degree arson, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. A prosecutor described Washington’s testimony as "the most heart-wrenching thing heard by this victims’ family this week." Ninth Circuit Judge Roger Young sentenced Washington to life in prison without parole, closing the case.
