FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Defendant and Associates Committed Two Gunpoint Robberies of Strangers Affiliated with Howard University on the Same Day

            WASHINGTON – Marquis Funderburk, 20, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of two counts of robbery while armed for two separate gunpoint robberies that took place within 30 minutes of each other, in January of 2022, in the neighborhood surrounding Howard University, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and Chief Robert Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            The verdict was returned on May 1, 2023, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Sean Staples scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2023.

            According to the government’s evidence, on January 18, 2022, at approximately 11:35 a.m., the defendant and two associates grabbed victim 1, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. A gun was brandished and pointed at victim 1’s stomach by one of the men while the other two associates went through victim 1’s pockets, taking his airpods, iPhone, wallet, and keys.

            At approximately noon on the same day, approximately two blocks from the first robbery, the defendant and three associates grabbed Victim 2, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. The defendant’s associate pressed a gun, concealed inside a fanny pack, into victim 2’s chin while demanding Victim 2 give them his property. The defendant punched victim 2 in the face, after which the defendant and his associates proceeded to punch and kick victim 2 repeatedly until he fell to the ground bleeding, ultimately resulting in a concussion. As they demanded victim 2’s account passwords, the defendant commanded his associate with the gun to shoot victim 2.

            Immediately after the second robbery, an MPD police cruiser, canvassing for the suspects of the first robbery, inadvertently approached the scene of the second robbery. The defendant and his associates fled from the cruiser, taking with them victim 2’s laptop, charger, iPhone, and wallet. The defendant was defendant stopped by police two blocks from the second robbery at approximately 12:30pm. He was positively identified by each of the victims independently.

            In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Carlton, Luca Winer, and Dan Lenerz, Paralegal Specialist Richard Cheatham, Victim/Witness Advocate Christie Bloodworth, and IT Specialist William Henderson.

            Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shauna Payyappilly and Katie Sessa, who investigated and prosecuted the case.