Chyna Crawford Disappearance and Murder Charges

The Chyna Crawford case centers on the October 2023 disappearance and alleged murder of a 25-year-old Washington, D.C., woman whose body has never been found. Prosecutors say she was kidnapped and shot to death on or about October 24, 2023, as part of a gang-related conspiracy, and five people now face a 126-count indictment in D.C. Superior Court. All five pleaded not guilty at an April 1, 2026, arraignment.¹

What Prosecutors Say Happened

Crawford was last seen around 10:00 p.m. on October 23, 2023, in the 4000 block of South Capitol Street in Southwest D.C. She was reported missing three days later, on October 26. Detectives in MPD’s Missing Persons Unit flagged suspicious circumstances almost immediately, and the case was moved to the Homicide Branch.²³

According to the 44-page indictment unsealed in January 2026, Lashawn Washington, Bjarni Cooper, and Tyjuan McNeal “purposely and with deliberate and premeditated malice, killed Chyna Crawford by shooting her with a firearm.”⁴ Prosecutors allege that after the killing the suspects broke into Crawford’s apartment and stole electronics, designer clothing, a Rolex watch, a diamond tennis bracelet, and her Mercedes, which they later sold. The stolen items were allegedly divided among the co-defendants. Crawford’s family has said she knew Cooper and “considered him a friend.”⁵

The Alleged Gang Motive

Investigators tie the killing to a roughly three-year feud with a rival crew known as “Choppa City.” The indictment describes a conspiracy running from February 1, 2023, to January 16, 2026, directed at that rival group.¹ The Washington Post reported that officials described the case as a “gang-related kidnapping conspiracy.”⁶

D.C. Police Commander Kevin Kentish called it a “planned homicide” but acknowledged the precise motive was still not clear, saying the killing “seems to be planned, at this point” and involved “a group of people.”⁷

How the Case Was Built

The investigation ran more than two years, shifting from a missing-person inquiry to a homicide case built on cellphone records, video evidence, and grand jury testimony, worked jointly by MPD homicide detectives, the missing persons unit, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.⁷

Crawford’s remains have not been recovered. As of mid-2026, her family has not been able to hold a burial or memorial service.⁷

The Five People Charged

Five adults have been arrested. Two unnamed juveniles have also been connected to the case, but limited public information is available about their role.⁵

Lashawn Washington

Washington, 34, of Southeast D.C., was arrested by U.S. Marshals on March 26, 2024, the first person charged in the case. Her initial charges were first-degree felony murder, kidnapping, and obstruction of justice. The January 2026 superseding indictment added dozens of charges, including two counts of tampering with physical evidence.⁸¹ She has been held in pretrial detention since her arrest. In November 2025, Judge Jason Park denied a defense motion for release, citing the severity of the charges, her criminal history, and the prosecution’s circumstantial evidence.⁹

Bjarni Cooper

Cooper, 31, of Northeast D.C., was arrested January 29, 2026, and charged with first-degree felony murder, conspiracy, armed carjacking, and armed robbery. The superseding indictment added multiple obstruction-of-justice counts for allegedly impeding and intimidating a witness.⁸¹ A judge ordered him held without bond in early April 2026.⁵

Deionta Person and Tyjuan McNeal

Person, 28, and McNeal, 29, both of Southeast D.C., were arrested on April 2, 2026. Both face first-degree felony murder, armed carjacking, and armed robbery.¹⁰ McNeal had already been named in the January 2026 indictment as one of the three people who allegedly shot Crawford, along with Washington and Cooper. He was serving a federal sentence in Florida for conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking at the time of the D.C. charges, and his attorney has asserted his rights under the Interstate Agreement on Detainers to push for a quicker resolution.⁴

Niquan Odumn

Odumn, 24, of Southeast D.C., was the fifth and final person charged, on April 3, 2026. He faces first-degree felony murder, armed carjacking, and armed robbery, and was also charged in the broader indictment with conspiracy against the “Choppa City” crew, tampering with evidence, robbery, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. MPD’s Fugitive Unit served the charges at the D.C. Jail, where he was already in custody.²¹

Inside the 126-Count Indictment

The five defendants are consolidated in a single 126-count indictment in D.C. Superior Court. It reaches well beyond Crawford’s killing and covers what prosecutors allege was a broader pattern of criminal activity aimed at the “Choppa City” crew, including carjackings in Northwest D.C. in late 2023, armed robberies earlier that year, unauthorized use of vehicles, and multiple counts of tampering with physical evidence.¹

All five pleaded not guilty at the April 1, 2026, arraignment before Judge Park. Washington and Cooper were held at the D.C. Jail; McNeal, Person, and Odumn were serving sentences in other jurisdictions at the time.¹

Where the Case Stands

Trial is set for February 1, 2028. At an April 15, 2026, hearing, McNeal’s attorney pressed for a trial within 180 days under the Interstate Agreement on Detainers. Prosecutors opposed, arguing that no detainer had been filed and that “good cause” existed to keep the 2028 trial date. Judge Park raised the possibility of a partial IAD waiver and set a follow-up for April 21.¹¹

At the same hearing, Odumn waived his IAD rights so he could stay at the D.C. Jail rather than return to the jurisdiction where he had been held. Judge Park allowed the arrangement but warned Odumn could be transferred back if space ran short. The parties were scheduled to reconvene on October 16, 2026.¹¹

The Family’s Search for Her Remains

Crawford’s aunt, Nakeshia Arrington, has been the family’s public voice throughout the case, running a “Where’s Chyna?” campaign on social media to keep attention on the disappearance. After the fifth arrest, she told reporters: “On behalf of my family, I can honestly say that we are happy that evil people, you know, are now in custody, and we will be getting justice very soon.”⁷ Without Crawford’s remains, the family has not been able to hold a memorial, and Arrington has said finding her niece remains their most urgent goal.

1
DC Witness. Co-Defendants Plead Not Guilty to 126 Counts in Gang-Related Murder Conspiracy Case
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Metropolitan Police Department. Fifth Suspect Arrested in Death of Missing Woman
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DC Witness. Arrest Made in Woman’s Disappearance
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NBC News. Metro Police Announce Final Arrests in Chyna Crawford Missing Person Case
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WUSA9. Two Additional Arrests in Chyna Crawford Case
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The Washington Post. Chyna Crawford Missing: Five Arrests
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NBC Washington. Murder of DC Woman in 2023 Disappearance
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Metropolitan Police Department. Second Arrest Made in Death of Missing Woman
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DC Witness. Homicide, Kidnapping Defendant Denied Release
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DC News Now. DC Police Make Two More Arrests in Chyna Crawford Case
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DC Witness. Conspiracy, Carjacking Suspect Wants Return to DC Under Speedy Trial Provision