Five Fatal Hours
'No One Can Believe What Happened'
Families Recall Three of Men Slain During Weekend
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, with acting Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier, discusses last weekend's four slayings. They promised to step up anti-crime efforts and work more closely with the community and federal agencies.
(By James M. Thresher -- The Washington Post)
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Deon Peoples was trying to better his life after his release from prison two years ago, his sister said. He bought a truck. He applied for a job as a driver, a step up from the hospital and laundry work he had done. And he kept in close contact with his son, an 11-year-old he called "my little man."
"Basically, he did anything to keep himself out of trouble," said his sister, Yolanda Moseley. "Those years away from his family, he learned his lesson. "
Peoples, 29, who was sent to prison after a 1997 assault conviction, was shot to death Saturday night in an apartment building in the 1500 block of Seventh Street NW.
The homicide brought an end to his plans to overcome his past, his sister and mother said. Peoples, a friendly man who wore his hair in a distinctive mohawk, worked as a security guard and as a hospital orderly after his release from prison. Three weeks ago, he took a job at a laundry service, Moseley said, but he was most enthusiastic about the job application he filed last week to become a driver for the mentally disabled.
"He talked about how he was going to take them to the doctor, take them to all their appointments," she said.
Moseley, 31, a nursing assistant, opened her home in Northwest Washington to her brother after he was released from prison. He was a big help with her four children, ages 6 to 14, she said.
"When I was working and they needed to go to a doctor's appointment, he was there," she said. "He came in the door, and they jumped right in his arms."
His mother, Helen Peoples, said he had "a kind heart." In his spare time, she said, he loved to play basketball and football "just around the community."
Moseley said she last saw her brother about 7 p.m. Saturday, a few hours before his death. "He came in and said, 'Hey, Fats' -- that's what he called me even though I'm not that fat. 'What did you cook?' " In his typical teasing way, he told her the spaghetti sauce was good but needed more salt. He left, saying, "See you later."
Both women said they do not know why Peoples was shot. They prefer to think about his efforts to improve his life.
'A Very Good Guy'
Kevin Bradshaw's family nicknamed him "Honest Andy" because they never saw him intentionally do anything wrong, said his brother, Ricky Bradshaw.
"He's a very good guy, a humble person," Ricky Bradshaw said. "He didn't drink. He didn't smoke. He didn't do drugs. Nobody can believe what happened to him."
