Updated Feb. 5: A District Court judge on Friday denied bond for both suspects charged after a double homicide in White Oak, a crime described by a prosecutor as “execution-style” slayings during an apparent drug deal.
Dontaye Jamahl Hunt, 18, of Silver Spring has been held without bond since his arrest on Wednesday on first-degree murder charges.
Noah Foster Barnett, 18, was charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana. He had been held on $3,500 bond, which was rescinded.
At least eight family members were present to support Hunt Friday in Rockville District Court when Judge Amy Bills ordered him held in the county detention center until a preliminary hearing on March 1.
Hunt was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Jordan Alexander Radway and Christian Deon Roberts.
Hunt’s attorney, Joseph McKenzie of McKenzie Tehrani Law Firm, argued his client should be released on bond based on a spotless record and a dedication to his studies.
Hunt is a senior at Springbrook High School, and McKenzie showed the judge a report card of straight A’s.
McKenzie said the “plethora of family members here supporting him” points to a positive environment for Hunt.
Cellphone data recovered by police details an arrangement between Radway, Hunt and Barnett to conduct a sale of marijuana, according to court documents. Barnett contacted Radway to set up the deal, with Hunt as the buyer.
Radway contacted Roberts to obtain the marijuana, and then connected with Hunt to organize the deal, according to documents.
Investigators recovered distribution quantities of suspected marijuana as well as what is believed to be a drug-sale ledger from Roberts’ residence.
The agreed-upon meeting location was one block from where Montgomery County police responded to a call of a vehicle colliding with parked cars Monday night. Officers would soon discover Radway and Roberts’ bodies.
While a search didn’t find any weapons or drugs at Hunt’s residence, cellphone data and an admission to police should be enough to hold him without bond, Assistant State’s Attorney Peter Larson said.
After “evaluating the safety of the community,” Bills agreed.
Hunt did not speak during the hearing.
Assistant State’s Attorney Jessica Hall described Barnett as the “middle man” in the case. Hall pointed to his role in what led to the homicides, along with previous juvenile arrests for armed robbery and auto theft, as reasons to hold him without bond. Investigators also found ammunition and a gun box at Barnett’s home.
Barnett said he needed to continue his academic work in his senior year at The Avalon School in Wheaton.
“I feel like this will hold me up from my college opportunities,” Barnett said, appearing through a video connection from the detention center during the hearing.
Bills said no matter his alleged involvement in the homicides, his conduct relating to the case, in addition to his previous criminal actions, warranted the denial of bail.
Barnett’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 7.
Avalon Executive Director R.J. Hawley clarified Feb. 5 that Barnett did not attend the school, rather participated in the Thomas More Institute homeschooling program from October through November 2018. The institute is part of The Avalon Schools network.
