In the light of a spring afternoon, 32-year-old Thomas Carlos Felder, a man of no fixed address, was shot and killed in Southeast Washington, D.C.. The incident occurred around 12:23 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in the 1300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, Southeast. First District officers responded to reports of a shooting and found Felder on the median strip, suffering from gunshot wounds.
Despite the efforts of first responders, he succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Witnesses reported that a suspect pursued Felder and shot him multiple times at close range before fleeing southward. Police believed the shooting was targeted. For months, the case remained under active investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch. In June, authorities released surveillance footage of a person of interest to solicit the public's help in identifying the individual responsible for Felder's death.
A breakthrough in the case came on Friday, October 4, 2024, when members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 26-year-old James Rice of Southeast, D.C.. Rice was charged with First Degree Murder while Armed under a D.C. Superior Court arrest warrant. The arrest was made based on a witness identifying Rice from the surveillance footage, noting his build and clothing. Surveillance video captured a Black man in a black hoodie shooting Felder and then running towards G Street, which was near Rice's residence.
However, the case against Rice took an unexpected turn in court. During legal proceedings, his defense attorney highlighted that no witnesses had mentioned the suspect having face or neck tattoos, which Rice has. The defense also questioned the reliability of the witness who identified Rice, suggesting a financial motive for reward money. Furthermore, a search of Rice's home did not produce any firearms or ammunition. On October 22, 2024, a D.C. Superior Court Judge ruled that the prosecution had not provided sufficient evidence to establish probable cause. Consequently, the charges against James Rice were dismissed, though the prosecution has the option to refile if more evidence emerges.
