In the late summer of 2015, the life of Trenton Xavier Jamal Washington, a 22-year-old Black / African American male, was tragically cut short. On the evening of September 4, 2015, in Des Moines, Iowa, Washington was fatally shot. The incident, which marked the city's seventh murder of that year, occurred on Sampson Street following an altercation.
He was transported to Mercy Hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The Des Moines Police Department swiftly launched a homicide investigation into Washington's death. Their efforts led to the identification of a suspect, 21-year-old Michael Cason Jr. Just four days after the fatal shooting, on September 8, 2015, Cason was apprehended and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Trenton Washington's death. While authorities confirmed that an altercation preceded the shooting, a specific motive was not publicly disclosed at the time of the arrest.
The legal proceedings against Michael Cason Jr. culminated in a trial. On January 30, 2017, a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder for the shooting death of Trenton Washington. This conviction brought a resolution to the case, with the available information indicating that no other suspects were arrested or believed to be involved in the incident.
