On a Wednesday afternoon, the 18th of September, 2012, the life of Joe Roosevelt Richbow, Jr., a 36-year-old Black male, was cut short by gunfire in Southeast Washington, D.C. The shooting occurred at approximately 2:14 p.m. inside an apartment located in the 2400 block of Elvans Road, SE. When police arrived at the scene, Richbow, a resident of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was found deceased.
The Metropolitan Police Department launched an investigation into the homicide, seeking assistance
from the public to gather information about the incident. In an effort to find those responsible, the department offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons involved in Richbow's death. Despite these efforts and the passage of time, his murder remains unsolved, leaving his family and community without closure.
At the time of his death, Richbow was on probation for a prior gun-related offense. He had been arrested three years earlier in the same location where he was ultimately killed, for possession of a. 44-caliber revolver. He pleaded guilty to illegal gun possession and received a suspended 18-month prison sentence and three years of probation. Additionally, Richbow was facing a felony drug charge in Prince George's County, with a trial scheduled for December of that year, and was also charged with violating the terms of his probation in the District. While authorities did not officially state whether they believed his criminal past was connected to his killing, his attorney acknowledged it was a logical area for investigators to explore.
