In the early morning hours of June 15, 2019, a tragic event unfolded inside a Capitol Hill apartment in Washington, D.C., leading to the death of 37-year-old Richfield Chang. Police responded to reports of gunshots on Pennsylvania Avenue, Southeast, where they discovered a grim scene. Chang, an Asian male, had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was found unconscious. Despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Alongside him, a woman was also found with multiple life-threatening gunshot wounds. She was transported to a hospital for medical attention.
The investigation quickly pointed to an acquaintance of the victims, 30-year-old Peter Nhek Neth. Authorities believed that a once-amicable relationship between Neth and Chang had soured, leading to the violent confrontation. Evidence found at the apartment, which was described as being set up for retail marijuana sales, suggested a personal dispute rather than a drug-related motive. Shortly before the shooting, a witness reported hearing a commotion and seeing the female victim throwing clothing into the hallway. Within hours of the shooting, police identified Neth as the suspect and an arrest warrant for first-degree murder was issued.
A multi-day search for Neth came to a dramatic end on June 19 in Ashburn, Virginia. Members of a fugitive task force tracked him to a relative's townhouse. A standoff ensued for several hours as law enforcement attempted to make contact with him. When authorities finally gained entry to the residence, they discovered Neth deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. His death concluded the manhunt, and though an arrest was never made, authorities were confident they had found the man responsible for Richfield Chang's death.
