On a cold winter’s night in Washington, D.C., the lives of two individuals were tragically cut short in a basement apartment, leaving a trail of unanswered questions. Keyonna Proctor, a 24-year-old Black woman, was discovered deceased on the evening of Monday, January 20, 2014, the victim of a fatal shooting. Alongside her was 36-year-old Oluremi K. Thomas, who had also been shot to death.
The discovery was made at approximately 10:56 p.m. inside a rowhouse on Girard Street NW, in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, not far from Howard University. It was a cousin of one of the victims who stumbled upon the grim scene. Thomas was found lifeless in a bed, while Proctor lay on the floor of the efficiency apartment. Authorities were quick to determine that neither Proctor, a resident of Southeast D.C., nor Thomas, who lived in Northwest D.C., resided at the Girard Street address.
This revelation added a layer of complexity to the investigation, suggesting they may have been lured to the location.
In the days that followed, details emerged that painted a grim picture of the final moments of their lives. A local D.C. Council member, Jim Graham, spoke to the press, stating that the killings appeared to be intentional and not a random act of violence. He suggested the possibility of a drug connection and characterized the killings as having the semblance of an 'execution-style' slaying. This suspicion was lent some credence by a police official who confirmed that drug paraphernalia was found in the apartment. It was also revealed that Thomas had been arrested outside the same house months prior for marijuana possession.
The Metropolitan Police Department launched a homicide investigation and offered a reward of up to $25,000 for any information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the double homicide. However, despite these efforts, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in the years since the tragic deaths of Keyonna Proctor and Oluremi Thomas. The case remains a somber and unsolved chapter in the city's history, leaving their families and the community to grapple with the enduring pain of loss and the absence of justice.
