In the early morning hours of Sunday, September 15, 2024, a life was tragically cut short in an alley in Northeast Washington, D.C. James Price, a 44-year-old man with no fixed address, was discovered unconscious in the 400 block of 50th Street, Northeast, just before 8:30 a.m. When officers from the Metropolitan Police Department arrived at the scene, they found Mr. Price suffering from a gunshot wound.
Despite the efforts of DC Fire and EMS, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of James Price quickly became a homicide case. Surveillance footage from a nearby camera captured a suspect, providing a crucial lead for investigators. The police sought the public's help in identifying the individual seen in the video. The Metropolitan Police Department 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 this violent act.
Several months later, on Monday, March 24, 2025, a significant breakthrough was made in the case. Members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force located and arrested 42-year-old Derek Turrentine of Bryans Road, Maryland. He was charged with First Degree Murder while Armed in connection with the shooting death of James Price. Court documents revealed that surveillance footage allegedly showed Turrentine following Price into the alley, where a physical altercation occurred before the fatal shots were fired.
Derek Turrentine later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder while armed as part of a plea agreement. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed to a sentence of 17 years in prison. During the sentencing, family members of James Price shared their profound loss, describing him as having been 'tragically and senselessly taken from due to gun violence.' Turrentine expressed deep regret for his actions, apologizing directly to Price's family in the courtroom. The judge, while describing the murder as 'cold-blooded,' acknowledged Turrentine's acceptance of responsibility.
