Judge demands full psychological evaluation for defendant’s murder and stabbing

By Joseph Wolf, Alex Garcia Pecina – October 18, 2024
Daily Stories | murders | Shoot | Suspicious | Victim |

D.C. Superior Court Judge Robert Okun on Oct. 16 ordered a comprehensive mental capacity evaluation of a suspect accused of both murder and stabbing.

On March 15, Raymond Avent, 24, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder while armed and carrying an unlicensed handgun outside a home or place of business for his role in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Rafiq Hawkins on March 23, 2019, in the 1200 block of Brentwood Road, NE.

According to court documents, video footage showed three suspects getting out of a vehicle, pointing guns at Hawkins and firing several shots. The suspects got back into the vehicle and fled the scene. Later, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers searching the scene found 34 bullet casings at the scene.

Avent is also charged with assault with intent to kill with a weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon, knowingly assault with a weapon, unlawful possession of contraband in a penal institution and conspiracy for his involvement in a stabbing at the D.C. Jail on June 3, 2021 in the 1900 block of D Street, SE.

A plea agreement will see Avent’s stabbing case dismissed at sentencing.

On August 29, a week before his sentencing, Elizabeth Weller, Avent’s defense attorney, filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea, stating that “Avent appears to struggle with some cognitive, reading and language comprehension limitations.”

Judge Okun ordered Avent to undergo a comprehensive mental capacity examination. The parties cannot proceed with the case until the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) submits findings.

The parties are scheduled to meet again on December 4th.