Idrissa Fall, aged 37 and a resident of Washington D.C., has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the murder of his former girlfriend, Dara Northern, in July 2021. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On January 22, 2025, Fall was found guilty by a Superior Court jury of first-degree murder while armed, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt, who presided over the case, has also ordered Fall to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on July 18, 2021. Dara Northern, the victim, exited her home in Northwest D.C. to join a friend for an outing. Fall, who had recently been expelled from Northern's home following their breakup, trailed her. As Northern settled into the front seat of her friend's vehicle, Fall shot her in the head and fled. Northern was declared brain dead the same day due to her injuries and later died.
U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith recognized the contributions of the Metropolitan Police Department in investigating the case, and the U.S. Marshals Service for their support. They also appreciated the U.S. Attorney’s Office team, including Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Allen and Latrice Washington-Williams, Paralegal Specialists Alyssa Schroeder and Sharon Newman, and Litigation Technology Specialist Sigourney Jackson. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristian L. Hinson and Yasmin Emrani.