Two District Men Sentenced to Decades in Prison for January 2021 Murder in Southeast Washington

Press Release

Two Other Men Were Also Injured in Shooting in Which Over 30 Shots were Fired

WASHINGTON - Delonta Stevenson, 29, and Vorreze Thomas Jr., 26, both of Washington, D.C., were sentenced today for the murder of Terrance Allen, 32, in Southeast Washington, D.C. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Delonta Stevenson was sentenced to 85 years in prison by D.C. Superior Court Judge Marisa J. Demeo after being found guilty on February 1, 2024 of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, first-degree murder while armed, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and related firearms offenses.

Vorreze Thomas Jr. was sentenced to 53 years in prison by D.C. Superior Court Judge Marisa J. Demeo after being found guilty on February 1, 2024 of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, first-degree murder while armed, two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and related firearms offenses. Thomas was found guilty under an aiding and abetting theory.

According to the government's evidence presented at trial, on the morning of January 18, 2021, Stevenson and Thomas' vehicle intercepted a vehicle driven by Mr. Allen as it was leaving the Stanton Glen Apartments. Stevenson fired thirty-four shots with a rifle, while sitting in the front passenger's seat, into the back of Mr. Allen's vehicle. As a result, the victim was killed and two other passengers in Mr. Allen's car were wounded. Mr. Allen was not the intended target; rather, Stevenson and Thomas were attempting to kill one of the other men in the car with Mr. Allen with whom they had a dispute.

Following the shooting, Stevenson and Thomas attempted to flee the scene in Thomas' vehicle. A nearby MPD officer heard the shooting, observed the men fleeing the scene and was given authorization to pursue. Stevenson and Thomas eventually crashed their vehicle at the intersection of 29^th and Erie Street SE and successfully fled on foot. Both men were arrested on February 17, 2021.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department Homicide Branch. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney's Office, including Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Tasha Harris, Lead Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity, Paralegal Specialists Mabry Johnson, Lashone Samuels, and Stephanie Gilbert, Investigative Analyst Zach McMenamin, Supervisory IT Specialist Leif Hickling, IT Specialist Charlie Bruce, Supervisory Victim-Witness Services Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Victim/Witness Services Coordinators Shanika McCullough and Maenylie Watson, Victim Assistance Specialist Christina Bloodworth, Supervisory Security Specialist Lesley Slade, and Security Specialist Robert Cephas.

Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Korba who investigated and indicted the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Miles Janssen and Zach Horton who prosecuted the case.

Updated May 2, 2024