Two men charged with murder in April killing of boys, 12 and 14, on Kenilworth Avenue NE

By Rosa Montclair

WASHINGTON — Two men have been charged with first-degree premeditated murder in the April shooting deaths of two boys, 12 and 14, outside a store on Kenilworth Avenue NE, and both have been ordered held without bond, according to the Metropolitan Police Department and court reporting.

Police arrested Antonio Terry, 18, on Sunday, Oct. 25, and Markell Woodings, 20, on Monday, Oct. 26, both of Southeast Washington, under D.C. Superior Court arrest warrants. Each faces two counts of first-degree murder while armed, MPD said.

The victims, Mhilo Young, 12, and Tyale Coates, 14, were shot at about 3:27 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, in the 700 block of Kenilworth Avenue NE. One boy died at the scene; the other died at a hospital.

Police describe retaliation plot

Investigators say the boys were targeted at random because they were from the Mayfair neighborhood, DC News Now reported. Police allege the suspects and several co-conspirators, possibly including a third shooter, were looking for anyone from Mayfair to target in retaliation for a shooting days earlier that killed a friend of one of the suspects, and that the shooting was planned in advance over Instagram direct messages.

Police also alleged that Woodings shared videos of himself rapping about details of the shooting and warned others to stop posting about it, according to DC News Now.

At Woodings’ arraignment Tuesday, the judge called him a “very serious danger to the community.” His defense attorney told the court Woodings is the father of a young child. Terry was ordered held Monday. Both are due back in court later this year.

Prosecutor points to youth gun violence

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, whose office prosecutes serious crimes in the District, spoke about youth gun violence at a news conference Tuesday. “We are losing a generation of teens in the District,” she said, according to DC News Now.

The case remains under investigation, and police are still offering a reward totaling up to $50,000 for information leading to additional arrests and convictions. Anyone with information can call police at (202) 727-9099 or text 50411.

Charges are accusations, and Terry and Woodings are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The Inquisitor has asked MPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office about the status of the investigation into other suspects.