In the early hours of May 17, 2011, the quiet residential neighborhood of Forest Heights, Maryland, was shattered by the sound of gunfire. Responding to reports of shots fired around 1:50 a.m. in the 600 block of Modoc Lane, Prince George's County police officers arrived to a grim scene. There, they discovered the body of 32-year-old Okasha Cup Hawkins, a Black/African American male who lived on the street where the shooting occurred.
Further investigation revealed the incident was a
double homicide, as the body of a second victim, 23-year-old Joshua Carrol of Southeast Washington, was also found nearby. One of the men was discovered lying in the street, while the other was in a yard close by. The motive for the slayings was not immediately clear to investigators. A neighbor recounted being awakened by the sound of two gunshots, a brief pause, and then five or six more shots in succession.
In the immediate aftermath of the double homicide, law enforcement had not publicly identified any suspects or a motive in the case. The investigation into the deaths of Okasha Cup Hawkins and Joshua Carrol was ongoing. As of late 2024, there is no publicly available information to indicate that any arrests have been made or suspects identified in connection with this double homicide, leaving the case unsolved.
