Maryland
‘There’s no justice’: Maryland family wants answers in 2024 Shaw murder
A Maryland family is desperately searching for answers after their son was shot and killed in the Shaw neighborhood last year. The case has still never been solved.
The family says police told them their son was likely defending a friend from robbers.
Vaughn Dozier Jr., 21, from Upper Marlboro was a passionate DJ and a talented roller skater. His dad fondly recalled how his friends called him the GOAT of making music.
In June of 2024, he had gone to hang out with a friend in D.C.
“He was like, ‘Dad, I’m going to the skating rink.’ And I said, ‘Alright, Vaughn, I love you.’ That’s my thing. ‘I love you too.’ And that’s the last time I talked to my son,” Vaughn Dozier Sr. said.
Later that night, the family would receive a call from Vaughn Dozier Jr.’s friend, saying he’d been shot in the Shaw neighborhood.
His father rushed to the scene.
“Yellow tape, not looking good. I’m just hoping, alright, I see the ambulance, hope they’re working on him, hope there’s a chance,” his father said.
Vaughn Dozier Jr. would later be pronounced dead.
His father says police told them he was likely defending his friend from three robbers when one of the robbers shot him in the chest.
D.C. police told News4 the investigation is still ongoing, but they wouldn’t share any updates on the case.
Last year, several neighbors told News4 they were tired of crime in the area.
“I’m really concerned about safety because it’s not secure,” said neighbor Ana Romualdo. “It’s very often we see that there is assault.”
“Just really sad,” said another neighbor who didn’t want to give their name. “Sometimes it seems just too reckless and too dangerous.”
Vaughn Dozier Jr.’s father said he won’t rest until the killer is caught.
“I need to see their face. I need to look them in the eyes. So does my wife and my family,” Vaughn Dozier Sr. said. “There’s no justice if the person’s not here. We want to bring that person to justice.”
Police said Dequan Gravely, 23, of Charles County, was driving northbound on Route 210 near Pine Drive when his Mercedes collided with the school bus turning left from the southbound lanes.
The driver of a car involved in a crash with a Prince George’s County school bus in Accokeek, Maryland, on Friday has been identified.
Prince George’s County police said Dequan Gravely, 23, of Bryans Road in Charles County, was driving northbound on Route 210 near Pine Drive around 7:20 a.m. when his Mercedes collided with the school bus turning left from the southbound lanes.
Investigators said the crash happened in the intersection, causing the school bus to flip onto its side. Gravely died at the scene.
The school bus driver was transported to a hospital and treated for injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Police said no students were on the bus at the time of the crash.
Investigators said they believe debris from the collision damaged a third vehicle. The driver of that vehicle “declined medical attention,” police said.
The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators at 301-731-4422.
WTOP’s Acacia James contributed to this report.
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A D.C. man won $5 million from a scratch-off lottery ticket in Maryland last week, and the matching number that netted him the prize happened to be his age.
Talk about a birthday surprise! A D.C. man won $5 million from a scratch-off lottery ticket in Maryland last week, and the matching number that netted him the prize happened to be his age.
Maurice Williams, a school bus driver in D.C., claimed the first top prize on a $5,000,000 LUXE scratch-off. He had used his $50 winnings from a previous LUXE scratch-off ticket to buy a new one the next day.
In a release from the Maryland Lottery, Williams said he didn’t know he had won until he scanned the ticket: “It’s crazy because the matching number was 59 and I just turned 59 the other day.”
Williams said he sat in shock for a while before calling his mother.
He said he plans to buy his mother a house with the winnings and then save up.
Two more top prizes from the scratch-off have yet to be claimed, the Maryland Lottery said, as well as nine $200,000 prizes, 10 $50,000 prizes and thousands of prizes ranging from $50 to $10,000.
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© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
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