D.C. Man Sentenced to 40 Years for Murder of Teen

Raymond Roseboro, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in prison for first-degree premeditated murder while armed in the slaying of a 16-year-old boy.

The murder was described as a “senseless and cowardly killing” in which the defendant essentially “lured” the victim, the Honorable Russell F. Canan said during sentencing.

Roseboro was found guilty of the murder of Prince Okorie in February. Two previous trials, in March and September of 2012, resulted in hung juries, but additional evidence led to a conviction in the third trial.

Sometime after Roosevelt High School let out at 3:15 p.m. Nov. 30, 2010, Okorie and other teenagers were standing on a nearby neighborhood porch when Roseboro and Roseboro’s girlfriend walked by, according to government evidence. Okorie and his friends went to a home at 7th and Emerson streets, where Roseboro appeared again and asked Okorie to walk to a store with him. Two of Okorie's friends joined them.

Shots rang out about 4:25 p.m. as the group turned onto Delafield Place near Sherman Circle, according to government evidence. One of Okorie's friends said he saw Okorie fall. Another said he saw Roseboro standing near Okorie with a gun in his hand and a mean “mug” on his face. Both friends ran from the scene, their ears ringing, and one said he heard more shots fired.

According to the autopsy, the shooting was at close range, which is consistent with witness accounts. Firearms evidence was also consistent with the witness accounts of one shooter, as the three .45-caliber casings recovered at the scene were fired from the same gun.

During the three trials, Roseboro testified that he had walked home after school with his girlfriend and remained with her at his home during the entire time period until a job counselor arrived for a meeting no earlier than 5:13 p.m. The defense also relied on the testimony of two of Roseboro’s relatives supporting his story about his whereabouts.

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In the most recent trial, the testimony of Roseboro’s then-girlfriend, who was 16-years-old at the time, conflicted with the defendant and his relatives.

An adult in the neighborhood identified Roseboro from an array of photos as being among the group walking to the store.

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