In the early hours of a Sunday morning in Washington, D.C., a life was tragically cut short. Ervin Eugene Watkins, a 28-year-old male, found himself in the 1400 block of Howard Road, SE, on September 23, 2018. It was there, at approximately 1:10 a.m., that the sounds of gunfire shattered the night's quiet. When the violence subsided, Watkins had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Despite the grave nature of his injuries, Ervin Eugene Watkins was rushed to a nearby hospital.
Medical personnel fought to save him, but the damage was too severe. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, leaving behind a grieving family and a community searching for answers. The Metropolitan Police Department promptly launched a homicide investigation into the fatal shooting, seeking the public's help to piece together the events of that tragic morning.
The investigation into the death of Ervin Eugene Watkins led to a breakthrough in the case. On Wednesday, October 10, 2018, the police announced the arrest of a suspect. Terrell Anthony Stephenson, a 26-year-old resident of Southeast D.C., was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with the shooting death of Watkins, bringing a measure of progress in the quest for justice.
