Hyattsville man pleads guilty to second-degree murder of elderly man
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — Just days into his bench trial on Wednesday, a 27-year-old man from Hyattsville pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of an old man in 2022.
Julias Wright was accused of punching and kicking 87-year-old Johnny Shepherd on June 2, 2022. During the trial, the medical examiner testified that Shepherd sustained a brain injury, facial lacerations, nasal bone fractures and other significant injuries that led to his death over one month later.
Wright attacked Shepherd after he allegedly opened his car door and hit Wright’s girlfriend’s car. She claimed Shepherd pushed her first and she punched him before calling for Wright’s help.
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Surveillance video shows Wright punching Shepherd and knocking him onto the ground. He then punched and kicked Shepherd repeatedly.
Shepherd was taken to the hospital and eventually released on hospice care.
He later died on July 28, 2022.
“My heart breaks when I think of the pain that Mr. Shepherd suffered at the hands of Mr. Wright,” said State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy in a news release. “It’s incomprehensible that anyone would do this to another human, especially a vulnerable senior citizen. I believe that the overwhelming evidence and strength of our case presentation left Mr. Wright with no decision other than to take full responsibility for his actions. I am pleased that Mr. Shepherd’s family and friends will be spared the emotional expense of having to continue forward with the trial. I want to thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Daniel Kim and Rashid Mahdi for their strategic and dedicated work in securing the guilty plea.”
Wright faces up to 18 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 28.
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