Tavon Barnes, the now-20-year-old assailant behind the 2018 murder of Abdul K. Thomas in Greenbelt, Maryland, has been sentenced to life in prison, plus 10 years, for his crimes.
State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy said in a statement that Barnes was sentenced Tuesday.
A jury convicted him of first-degree murder following a two-week trial in May.
At that trial, a jury heard evidence that Barnes used a semi-automatic handgun to kill 18-year-old Thomas, who was found April 18, 2018 in an apartment building stairwell in the 9100 block of Edmonston Road. He had been shot in the chest.
Witnesses testified that Barnes, then 17, shot Thomas during a drug deal before fleeing to New York. DNA evidence presented by the state confirmed Barnes’ identity at the scene.
Barnes was arrested and extradited to Prince George’s County in January 2019.
“I hope that today’s sentence puts Mr. Thomas’ loved ones ease knowing that Mr. Barnes has be held accountable for his horrific crimes,” Braveboy said in a news release. “I congratulate the prosecutor and investigators on this case for their hard work to ensure that we achieved justice for Mr. Thomas and his family.”
Barnes still faces charges of witness intimidation for making several recorded and incriminating calls to eyewitnesses in order to prevent them from testifying in court.
