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Keishon Javontae Thompson has been sentenced to life in prison, plus 15 years and two days after he was convicted of killing 19-year-old J'Shaun Wallace and similar weapon charges.
Prosecutors say that on Dec. 6, 2020, officers in Charles County were called to the 2900 block of Business Park Drive in Waldorf to investigate a reported shooting. Upon arrival, they found Wallace with a gunshot wound to his chest, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
A review of Wallace’s cell phone, which was found at the scene of the fatal shooting, led investigators to text message exchanges between he and Thompson, which determined that the pair had previously arranged to purchase shoes from one another.
On the day of the murder, Charles County State’s Attorney Tony Covington said that Wallace and a friend arrived in front of a business in the 2900 block of Business Park Drive at approximately 8 p.m.
When Thompson arrived minutes later, he lured Wallace to the back of the building, and surveillance footage captured Wallace handing shoe insoles to Thompson.
Shortly thereafter, Thompson is seen on the video taking out a handgun from the waistband of his pants, at which point he shot Wallace once in the chest and then appeared to make another attempt to shoot him, but failed.
Officials noted that "prior to the shooting, Wallace made no visible signs of aggression toward Thompson and did not have a weapon."
Wallace’s friend, who remained in the car during the deal, heard the gunshot, got out of the vehicle and found the victim on the ground. He called 911 and Thompson fled the area.
During the investigation, Thompson was identified as a suspect, and a search of his residence led police to discover clothes that were consistent with what was captured on the surveillance video. He was ultimately arrested in Bel Air.
When he was arrested, Covington said that "Thompson made admissions of guilt to detectives investigating the incident.”
Thompson was found guilty of:
- First-degree murder;
- Use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence;
- Possession of a regulated firearm under the age of 21;
- Loaded handgun on a person;
- Wear, carry, and transport of a handgun upon their person.
"At the end of the day, what we have is the most senseless murder I’ve ever seen and someone who has taken no accountability," Assistant State's Attorney John Stackhouse said at sentencing. "When you put those two things together, there’s no question that he should get a life plus sentence from Your Honor.”
In response, the judge stated that "the extreme level of senselessness and violence is rare.” He furthered that it was a “sense of betrayal that I quite frankly never seen before.”
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