In the late hours of a Tuesday night in Washington, D.C., on October 10, 2017, 27-year-old Arthur Thompkins III was fatally shot. He was discovered in the driver's seat of a black Ford F-150 pickup truck located in the 5400 block of Hunt Place NE in the Burrville neighborhood. Police reported that he had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy later revealed that Thompkins had been shot a total of ten times, with two shots to the head and six to his back, the weapon identified as a. 40 caliber handgun.
An investigation into the shooting led to the arrests of two men, 29-year-old Tyrone Harris and 28-year-old Markale Moore, both from Northeast D.C. They were each charged with first-degree murder while armed. A witness informed police that the shooting was the result of an argument, though the specifics of the dispute were not publicly detailed. It was later revealed in court that the argument between Moore and Thompkins earlier that day was reportedly over money and a woman. According to court documents, witnesses stated that Moore was the shooter and that Harris drove the getaway car.
In April 2019, both Markale Moore and Tyrone Harris pleaded guilty to charges related to the death of Arthur Thompkins. Moore pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed and was sentenced to 21.5 years in prison. Harris pleaded guilty to conspiracy and assault with a dangerous weapon, receiving a sentence of 8.5 years in prison. A third individual, Maurice Allen, also pleaded guilty to attempted obstruction of justice in connection with Thompkins' death and was sentenced to time served. During the sentencing, Thompkins' mother shared that her son had four children and, despite facing personal struggles, was striving to be a better father. She also expressed her deep hurt, noting that she knew Markale Moore, as he and her son had grown up together. Both Harris and Moore offered apologies to the Thompkins family in court. Moore stated that in the moment, he felt it was 'either me or him,' and attributed his actions to his drug use, admitting he didn't take the time to de-escalate the situation. The defense attorney for Harris stated that his client had supplied Moore with the gun but was unaware of Moore's intention to kill someone.
