On the evening of December 4, 2022, 20-year-old Marjai Wimbush, a male resident of Southeast, D.C., was fatally shot inside his apartment. The incident, which unfolded in the 4200 block of 4th Street, Southeast, is believed to have occurred during a robbery. Police were called to the scene around 10:40 p.m. for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered a grim scene that indicated a violent struggle had taken place.
There was blood on the wall, a television had been knocked over, and shoeboxes were strewn about in disarray. Wimbush was found slumped over in a corner, having sustained a single gunshot wound to the left side of his chest. Emergency medical services responded but found no signs of life, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to court documents, a witness was with Wimbush in his apartment when a man allegedly broke in to rob them. The witness was able to escape and seek help. By the time assistance arrived, Wimbush had been shot and killed. The investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch led them to a suspect.
On June 27, 2023, authorities arrested 45-year-old Correy Benjamin Ray of Southeast, D.C., in connection with the murder. He was charged with first-degree murder while armed-felony murder under a D.C. Superior Court arrest warrant. During a subsequent court hearing, a judge found that there was probable cause to connect Ray to the killing. This determination was based in part on evidence that a red car allegedly linked to Ray was seen arriving at Wimbush's apartment building before the shooting and leaving shortly after. The defense argued that there was no tangible or forensic evidence linking Ray to the crime and suggested a third party could be responsible, but the judge found no evidence to support this theory or that the shooting was in self-defense.
