Fort Washington, District Slayings Might Be Connected

Police are investigating whether the slayings early yesterday of a couple in their home in Fort Washington were linked to a homicide about a half-hour earlier near a club in the District, officials said.

Audrey Bryant, 48, and her boyfriend, Keith Jordan, 44, were fatally shot at a home they rented in the 4000 block of Oaklawn Road, Prince George's County police said.

A law enforcement source said the two were longtime friends of the man fatally shot in the District, Carl Ashton O'Neil Gray Fitzgerald, 25. He had occasionally stayed at their house, the source said.

Authorities said Fitzgerald was fatally shot about 12:30 a.m. in the 1300 block of T Street, near a U Street nightclub called Pure.

According to the source, lookouts were issued after both shootings for vehicles with similar descriptions. Police recovered a vehicle yesterday matching the descriptions and were processing it for evidence.

The source said police had identified someone they believe may have information about one or both of the shootings.

Prince George's Police Chief Roberto L. Hylton said it appeared that more than one weapon was used in the attack on Bryant and Jordan.

He called their killings a "targeted assassination," but he said it was not known whether Bryant and Jordan were the intended targets.

Police said there was no sign of forced entry or robbery.

Jordan, who called 911 shortly after 1 a.m., was found on an upper staircase. He died at a hospital. Bryant was found dead in a bedroom. Both had been shot multiple times, police said.

One of Bryant's sons reportedly performed Monday night at Pure, according to law enforcement sources. The club is best known to longtime residents under its former name, Bar Nun.

D.C. police declined to comment yesterday on a possible motive. Cmdr. Rodney Parks, head of the Criminal Investigations Division, said D.C. police were contacted by Prince George's authorities and were cooperating with them.

D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) said that Pure has nightclub and liquor licenses, and that he asked the licensing agency to check out the club.

Bryant and Jordan reportedly moved into the Fort Washington home about eight years ago.

Staff reporter Clarence Williams and researcher Meg Smith contributed to this report.