In the late afternoon of July 19, 2022, violence shattered the calm of a Southeast Washington, D.C. neighborhood. It was on the 400 block of Burbank Street, SE, that William Whittington Jr., a 40-year-old male from Southeast, DC, was found suffering from a gunshot wound. Police responded to reports of a shooting at approximately 4:13 p.m. Upon their arrival, they discovered Mr. Whittington, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy later confirmed that he died from a single gunshot wound to the head.
The investigation into the death of William Whittington Jr. led to an arrest several months later. On October 17, 2022, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force apprehended 36-year-old Desmond Gaskin, Jr. of Oxon Hill, Maryland. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection with Mr. Whittington's death. During a preliminary hearing, a witness testified to seeing two men arguing before the shooting. The witness described the suspect as a Black male in his 50s, about 5'7' and 250 pounds, with a bald head and no visible tattoos. This description presented a contrast to Gaskin, who at the time of his arrest was 6'2', weighed 320 pounds, had numerous tattoos, and was not completely bald.
The legal proceedings against Desmond Gaskin, Jr. took a significant turn in June 2025. On June 6, prosecutors filed a motion to dismiss the case against him. A DC Superior Court Judge granted this request, and all charges against Gaskin, which included second-degree murder while armed, were dismissed without prejudice, meaning the case could be refiled at a later date. Prior to the dismissal of the charges, Gaskin had been released from jail and was on GPS monitoring. As of the dismissal, no further court dates were set in connection to the murder of William Whittington Jr.
