On a spring evening in Williston, North Dakota, the lives of two young men were brought to a sudden and violent end. Inside a local apartment on May 17, 2016, Donzell Washington, a 23-year-old Black male, was shot and killed. He was not alone in his final moments; another man, Diandre Laron Lott, also lost his life in the same tragic incident. The event sent ripples of concern through the community and launched a thorough investigation by the Williston Police Department as they sought to piece
together the events of that fatal day.
The investigation into the double homicide led authorities to a single suspect, Lamar Putney. As the case against him was built, Putney was formally charged with two counts of murder for the deaths of Washington and Lott. The narrative of what transpired in the apartment began to take shape as the legal process moved forward, culminating in a trial where the events of that day would be scrutinized in a court of law. The prosecution laid out its case, aiming to prove Putney's guilt in the killings that had shaken the city.
In a dramatic turn, the trial concluded not with a conviction, but with an acquittal. Lamar Putney was found not guilty on all charges. His defense team successfully argued that the shootings were an act of self-defense. According to Putney's account, the incident began when Washington and Lott expressed interest in purchasing a car he had for sale. He claimed that during their interaction, the two men attempted to rob him. Putney asserted that he acted to protect his own life, a claim that ultimately resonated with the jury and led to his freedom. No other suspects were ever identified in connection with the deaths of Donzell Washington and Diandre Lott, and the case was officially closed with Putney's acquittal.
