In the late hours of a Thursday night in Washington, D.C., the life of a promising young man was tragically cut short. Demencio Lewis, a 23-year-old male, was found shot to death on March 13, 2014, in the 2500 block of Sayles Place, SE. An off-duty police officer was in the vicinity, in the 2600 block of Bowen Road, SE, at approximately 11:57 p.m. when the sound of gunshots pierced the night air, leading to the discovery of Lewis's body.
He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Demencio was known to his loved ones as a talented and creative individual with a bright future. He was an aspiring model, actor, and artist who had a passion for high-tech cameras and computers. His family described him as someone who was not prone to fights and did not have enemies, though they acknowledged that some may have envied his talents. Friends remembered him as cool, funny, and someone who could always make a person smile. He was openly gay, a fact his family considered might have been a possible motive for his murder.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, police began searching for four men who were seen fleeing the area in a black Hyundai Sonata. These men were described as wearing hooded sweatshirts. The investigation into Demencio Lewis's death remains open, and it is considered a cold case. His family believes that he was lured to the location where he was killed, having received a phone call shortly before he left his home that night. The person who called him was reportedly questioned by police.
The Metropolitan Police Department has sought the public's assistance in gathering information regarding the incident. A significant reward has been offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Demencio Lewis's murder. Despite the passage of time, his case remains a painful and unresolved chapter for his family and the community, a sentiment echoed by advocacy groups that have highlighted his death as one of several unsolved homicides of Black LGBTQ individuals in the D.C. area.
