Background: An alleyway off the 3300 block of East Capitol Street, the grim scene where the victim’s body was discovered (WRC). Inset left: Dalonte Jackson (Cedar Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery). Inset right: A person believed to be Maurice Pierre Hawley (Superior Court of the District of Columbia).
Authorities have arrested a man in connection with the death of a Washington, D.C. resident. The victim was found severely injured in an alley, reportedly after being assaulted and run over.
Maurice Pierre Hawley, 35, is facing first-degree murder charges for the death of Dalonte Lamont Jackson, also 35. This information was confirmed by the Metropolitan Police Department in a statement. Hawley was apprehended in Jackson, North Carolina, and subsequently extradited to Washington, D.C.
The sequence of events leading to this tragedy began around 4:30 p.m. on May 24. Officers were dispatched to the 3300 block of East Capitol Street following reports of an “unconscious person.” Upon arrival, the officers discovered Jackson critically injured.
An arrest affidavit reviewed by Law&Crime describes Jackson’s condition at the scene — he was found “lying face down” in the alley, with his clothing disheveled, a cut on his foot, and a “pool of blood” encircling his head. Despite efforts to save him, Jackson succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital five days later.
Authorities determined that his cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was homicide.
Detectives investigated and searched through surveillance footage. They say that minutes before officers were dispatched to the alleyway, video showed a gray Mazda pull up and a door open.
The video went on, showing the victim “in a prone position” and apparently “suffering and struggling to move.” According to a witness cited in the court record, someone had dragged Jackson out of the vehicle — while another person “stood back and watched” — and “stomped” on Jackson’s head 10 times.
The two suspects then left, before returning about a minute later and driving “over the legs of the victim,” authorities said. The Mazda then drove away for good.
Detectives spoke with another witness who said the victim had appeared at the witness’s apartment about 45 minutes before he was found. Jackson had reportedly texted a third witness informing them of his location and writing, “I don’t feel safe, just in case.”
This third witness, a woman, tried to call Jackson, but he didn’t answer, instead texting back, “don’t call.” When she texted him about 20 minutes later, “it didn’t go through,” the affidavit states.
One of the first two witnesses explained that Jackson is an “openly gay man” but that he “deals with a lot of ‘down low’ men.” The woman added that someone told him to “take care, because some have a lot to lose” and she warned Jackson “about tempers flaring” and him “possibly threatening males on the ‘down-low’ about ‘outing’ them.”
Investigators tracked the Mazda in question and say they tied it to a “Pierre Hawley.” They then spoke with another person who gave their account of what happened that day.
Jackson had reportedly been sending “sexual messages” to Hawley on social media. After Jackson showed up at a residence with Hawley and at least one other person inside, Hawley allegedly “kept hitting and punching” the victim.
At one point during the alleged attack, Jackson reportedly cried, “stop Moe, stop” and “I’m a diabetic.” The lengthy affidavit adds that after dumping the victim’s body, someone worked to clean up the crime scene.
The case is not being investigated as a hate crime, local NBC affiliate WRC reported.
It’s unclear whether any additional suspect is wanted by authorities. Law&Crime reached out to the Metropolitan Police Department for more information.
Hawley has a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 31.