In a tragic act of domestic violence, 25-year-old Taeje Butler was fatally shot in a Southeast Washington, D.C. apartment on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 9, 2025. The female victim was discovered by police near the front door of the residence, located in the 3500 block of 6th Street SE, having sustained gunshot wounds to her neck and head. Despite the efforts of emergency responders, Butler was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident unfolded in the presence of the couple's young children, who later provided devastating accounts to law enforcement.
The suspect, 25-year-old Josiah Garrison, who was the father of Butler's children, was arrested at the apartment and charged with second-degree murder while armed. According to court documents, one of their children recounted to a detective, 'Daddy killed mommy,' and described the weapon as a 'little gun.' Another child told investigators that their father had put the gun to their mother's neck.
Following the shooting, Garrison allegedly contacted a relative, confessing, 'I shot Taeje in the head and she's dead,' before expressing fear and an intention to flee. It was this relative who ultimately alerted the authorities by calling 911.
During police questioning, Garrison claimed that the shooting was accidental, stating that it occurred during a struggle over the firearm. He alleged that an argument over infidelity had escalated, leading him to retrieve the gun for protection. However, investigators reported finding no signs of a struggle on Butler's body. Authorities later recovered a silver and black Ruger. 357 Magnum revolver, believed to be the murder weapon, from a trash bin outside the apartment building after security footage captured Garrison disposing of a white bag. The investigation also revealed a history of domestic disputes, including a 2022 incident where the couple accused each other of striking their then-one-year-old child.
