Darius Anderson, a 23-year-old from Washington, DC, has been sentenced to 32 years in prison for the first-degree murder of Israel Mattocks. The incident occurred in June 2022 and involved related offenses. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The jury found Anderson guilty on September 18, 2024, after a week-long trial at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The crime took place on Minnesota Avenue NE. Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo delivered the sentence.
According to evidence presented by the government, on June 15, 2022, at approximately 11:00 a.m., Mr. Mattocks approached Anderson for assistance in purchasing shoes from Shoe City at East River Park Shopping Mall. After Anderson failed to acquire the shoes, they briefly conversed before parting ways. They met again at another local shoe store called DownTown Locker Room and had a brief argument. Following this encounter, Mr. Mattocks left with another individual to return to Shoe City for the shoes Anderson did not purchase.
Anderson then went home to drop off his purchases from DownTown Locker Room and returned to Shoe City. As Mr. Mattocks exited Shoe City with another person, Anderson was waiting outside and fired multiple shots at him. Mr. Mattocks was struck at least six times in various parts of his body and was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith praised the efforts of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department as well as Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel Dean and Stephanie Dinan.