A D.C. murder suspect who swapped identification bracelets with another inmate to escape from custody has been apprehended. The U.S. Marshals Service said 24-year-old James Brewer turned himself in shortly before 2 p.m. Saturday.
Brewer, who is charged with first-degree murder while armed in the slaying of a 71-year-old District man, absconded Friday after he switched identification bracelets with another suspect at D.C. Superior Court.
Court records indicate that before Brewer appeared before a judge, he swapped bracelets with Bradley Allen, who was charged with the misdemeanor offense of possessing PCP. Brewer apparently posed as Allen during an initial appearance and was released pending future court dates.
Court officials realized the switch occurred when Brewer’s case was called and it was Allen — not Brewer — who appeared.
That sparked a manhunt for Brewer Friday evening that lasted into Saturday.
It wasn’t clear Saturday how Brewer and Allen switched bracelets. The Marshals Service said in a statement that it is still investigating the escape.
Brewer is charged in the fatal shooting of Solomon Reese at Reese’s apartment on the 2300 block of Good Hope Road SE on June 27, according to D.C. police.
Brewer and two other men assaulted Reese, then shot him several times in the chest, charging documents say.
Surveillance footage from the apartment building captured the men entering and leaving the building. Court documents say a witness who was shown the video identified one of the men as “Sticky.”
“Sticky” was identified as Brewer, who was taken into custody in Virginia on Thursday afternoon.
The witness also gave police information about the other assailants, and a man who let them into the building.
Allen was arrested on the drug charge Thursday evening on the 2300 block of 11th Street NW, where officers saw him smoking a PCP cigarette, according to court records.
Allen was re-arraigned, as himself, and was released.
