The house, dressed up as a recording studio, was wired by the FBI, and Sutherland — and all his buyers — were undercover officers. When an officer listening in on a telephone conversation overheard plans to rob them, a year-long sting operation began to wind down.

Those encounters, described in court papers, were among the many that occurred during the sting, which was unveiled Monday. Authorities say officers posing as gangsters, crooked businessmen and bodyguards helped snag $7.2 million in cocaine, PCP and other drugs, buy and capture 161 weapons, and make 70 arrests.

Authorities said it was one of their most important weapons investigations in recent history.

“Had those drugs and guns made it to our streets, the consequences would be devastating,” D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said Monday at a news conference.

The face of the the sting operation was Sutherland, a veteran of undercover work. Posing as Manic Enterprises impresario Richie Valdez, head of an international string of recording studios, Sutherland convinced criminals that he was one of them, and that he wasn’t afraid to rob banks and drug dealers to boost his trade in guns and drugs. But Valdez’s associates were D.C. police narcotics investigators.

As the Post notes, MPD is patting itself on the back for another successful sting—and it's possible that the reduction in murders bears out this success. But there's still plenty of violent crime in the city; it would be good to hear more about the tactics being used to reduce the other forms of crime on the rise.

Photo by Charles Steck

You think you know Joseph Randolph Mays. You know that he's an ex-postal worker. You know that he's been charged with stabbing to death his girlfriend Erika Peters and her two young boys on March 21. You know that he's now another defendant awaiting trial at the D.C. Jail.

But Joseph Randolph Mays was much more. He was a poet, a spiritual counselor, and an Internet addict. On one of his more than six blogs and websites, he penned his own simple message to the world:

"My message to everyone in the world. Let’s do this and make our world a better place to live in."

Mays believed he could make the world better by blogging. While working on my cover story about the murders, I spent a good amount of time trying to figure out Mays' virtual life. I was stunned by the amount of blogs, spam-like business ventures, and personal writing he would post. He wrote tons and tons of almost unreadable material (i.e. hyping e-cards or flogging his people finder venture). In not one of the entries does he mention Erika Peters or her two sons. He'd only talk about the two-year-old daughter they had together.

But he did write a lot of poetry:

"Through this toilsome world,

Alas once and only once shall I pass.

If a kindness I may show,

If a good deed I may do,

to a suffering fellow man,

Let me do it while I can.

For it is plain,

I shall not pass this way again."

I'm still mystified by him. How can I guy write that and do what he is alleged to have done?

Photo by Darrow Montgomery.

On March 21, Erika Peters and her two young boys were found murdered in their Carver Terrace home at 2000 Maryland Avenue NE Apt. 104. Within hours, her live-in boyfriend Joseph Randolph Mays was charged with the fatal stabbings. This week I wrote a cover story about the tragedy and the several questions left unresolved. One of the big questions: What exact time was the 911 call made?

Peters' neighbors say the police arrived a lot earlier than 1 p.m. (the time listed on the police department's press release). Two government sources suggested the neighbors are correct. If this is true, it would mean the police took at least two hours to get inside the Peters' home.

I asked repeatedly for the exact time from various government officials. They all stonewalled me on this most basic fact. Attorney General Peter Nickles gave the reason most often used—the Peters case was an on-going case so that fact could not be made public.

I am still unsure why the exact time of the first 911 call would have any bearing on the case against Mays. The stonewalling was just unnecessary and unusually obnoxious even for government officials in the age of Fenty. I know people have a low tolerance for whiny journalists. But this is different. This issue goes to public safety and accountability.

So here's a list of the officials who stonewalled me:

1) Fifth District Commander Lamar Greene. He was one of the first people to inform the community about the triple homicide. He tapped out an entry on 5D's listserve that day. But when it came to offering details about the timeline, Greene didn't return multiple calls to his office.

2) D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier: She failed to respond to my e-mail asking her for the exact time of the 911 call or whether the police had ever come to the Peters' home prior to March 21. Lanier had no problem appearing at a press conference on the day of the murders or on News Channel 8 soon after to say that police had done all that they could.

3) Assistant Chief Diane Groomes: She is in charge of patrol services. In the first few hours after the murders were discovered, Groomes told me the department was going through its records to see what interaction the police had with the Peters' family prior to March 21. Yet when asked about prior 911 calls or the exact time of the first 911 call, she turned me away. She forwarded my e-mails to the department's public information office.

4) Gwendolyn Crump: Ms. Crump works in the public information office. When asked about the 911 call or any other 911 calls, she told me I had to submit a FOIA. This is the department's way of saying you aren't going to get the information you want. Ever.

5) Traci Hughes: Before this D.C. Police Department talking head went on maternity leave, she also refused to give the exact time of the 911 calls.

6) The Fifth District secretary: There is one document that the police produces that is public. It is the initial incident report. All you have to do is go down to the district to pick it up. When I arrived at 5D and explained what I wanted—providing the date of the incident and the report's number—I was told that the case was "too fresh" and that I could not get a copy of the public report. "Too fresh" is not a valid reason. I was then told I had to go to the public information office and ask for permission. I called PIO and was told I could get the report. The person at PIO told me they'd call 5D and smooth everything over. As far as I know they never called. I stood there at 5D for a half hour before an officer finally gave me the report.

7) Janice Quintana, the director of the Office of Unified Communications: Ms. Quintana is the worst stonewaller of the bunch. It is her office that handles 911 calls. During a hearing five days after the murders, Councilmember Phil Mendelson asked her repeatedly for a timeline. She refused to give it to him. She also refused to take my calls to her office and home. Quintana's performance at the hearing was one of the main motivators for doing the cover story. Her behavior at the hearing was too obnoxious to ignore.

This is what will happen to the Peters case: Many months from now the exact time of the 911 call and any other police interaction will be filed in court. By then, the city will have moved on to a newer tragedy. Few outside of her family will notice or care about the Peters case anymore.

*photo of Carver Terrace courtyard by Darrow Montgomery.

Today, Erika Peters and her young sons, Erik Harper and Dakota Peters, will be laid to rest. The wake and funeral services will be starting at 9:30 a.m. at Mount Calvary Holy Church at 610 Rhode Island Avenue NE. On March 21, they were stabbed to death in their apartment. Police have arrested Peters' live-in boyfriend Joseph Randolph Mays for the murders.

In this week's cover story, we chronicle the events of March 21, the police response, and Mays' mysterious life. We also ask three questions still unanswered about the murders. The only thing that is clear is that the residents of Carver Terrace had tried to offer support to the family, and knew them well.

Peters’ sons were fixtures in the grass-less courtyard in front of their building. The courtyard served as the neighborhood’s all-purpose field for kickball and other playground games.

Erik’s favorite song was “Take You Down” by Chris Brown. Dakota loved football. Eric could be courteous and respectful toward his neighbors, always opening the door and offering greetings. Dakota could be shy. Erik would wake up early and stand outside tossing his football to himself. Both boys played football for Rosedale.

There is already a legend going around Carver Terrace that Erik used to jump out of his second-floor window onto the muddy courtyard to escape Mays’ punishments.

At night, the boys would come home and sometimes bump into Randy Kittrell, 27, a neighbor who has ambitions of becoming a working musician. He’d joke with them, giving them nicknames—"Bubble Eye" for Dakota, and "T.I." for Eric, named after the boy’s favorite rapper. “Don’t I walk like him,” Erik would say, mimicking T.I.’s strut.

Carver Terrace is filled with hardworking residents. I've seen them come home late from work still in their uniforms. They also live in an area with its share of crime. There's a police camera just down the block from the Peters apartment. The teddy bear memorial to the Peters family isn't the only one on their street. Still, residents try their best to look out for each other.

Sometimes, the boys sought refuge in a neighbor's apartment. If Erika needed anything, she knew she could go to her neighbor across the hall.

On Monday night, more than a dozen kids were outside playing kickball in the courtyard. A mother watched over the action from an upstairs window. She pleaded with her kids to come inside. They begged for one more inning. This went on for awhile. The game was too much fun.

They all seemed to know Erik and Dakota. They all got quiet when their names came up. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Fenty and Lanier held a press conference in Carver Terrace. There have been two vigils. There are still a lot of grownup questions left unanswered.

The kids just wanted some play time.

*photo by Darrow Montgomery.

The details are incredibly sad. At first, there appeared to be some confusion between the officer and the dispatcher about the nature of the call for Apt. 104. The dispatcher believed that the call for "trouble" may have been just a joke.

Sgt. Tyshena Wallace of cruiser 553 arrived on the scene and began knocking on the door. Sgt. Wallace heard a voice from within the apartment saying, 'no, stop.' Sgt. Wallace did not hear anything else. Sgt. Wallace called the dispatcher and advised her to utilize the call back. The dispatcher advised that every time she called the phone number, the call intercept came on blocking the call. Sgt. Wallace asked the dispatcher, 'what was the call for' and the dispatcher advised, 'a child screaming on the phone possibly playing.'

Eventually, a second officer arrives on the scene. Officer Karim begins to knock on the door of Apt. 104 while Sgt. Wallace calls the Peters home.

Sgt. Wallace could hear the phone ringing within the apartment, but no one responded to the phone call. Captain Lamar West arrived on the scene and approved forced entry into the apartment. The fire board was requested to respond to the scene. Thereafter the fire board arrived on the scene and forced entry into the apartment. Upon attempting to gain entry the firemen had difficulties opening the door.

At this point, how much time elapsed becomes a huge question. Fire department spokesperson Alan Etter says that an engine was dispatched at 1:44 p.m. What fire personnel found inside, the document states, was horrifying.

Upon pushing the door open a fireman screamed, 'we have a male child on the floor by the door bleeding!' This victim was later identified as 10-year-old 'D.P.' The difficulty of the door being opened was due to the fact that there was a bar 'propped' up behind the door, barricading the door for entry. Sgt. Wallace requested medical personnel to respond to the scene. Once inside, Sgt. Wallace and Officer Karim began to clear the apartment for safety. The officers walked to the rear of the apartment and observed a black female laying unconscious and unresponsive in the hallway. This victim was later identified as 37-year-old Erika Peters.

The officers worked their way through the apartment. Behind a locked room, an officer found Mays.

Proceeding down the hallway to the door on the left, which was locked, Officer Karim kicked the door open and observed a black adult male (subsequently identified as defendant Joseph Mays) laying face down on the floor, attempting to appear unconscious. Officer Karim observed a large hunting knife on a small dresser next to the defendant. Sgt. Wallace also observed a female toddler, kneeling on the floor crying, toward the left of the defendant.

Officer Karim went to the next room, the bathroom.

Inside the bathroom, Officer Karim located another victim, unconscious and unresponsive. This victim was later identified as 11-year-old 'E.P.' The fire board attended to D.P., carried him out the apartment, and transported him to Children's Hospital. Moments later additional medics began carrying out the defendant on a stretcher and transported him to MedStar.

Detectives M.W. Johnson and Douglas Reynolds followed Mays to Washington Hospital Center. They questioned Mays at the hospital. Mays talked freely.

The defendant provided his name as Joseph Randolph Mays, residing at 2000 Maryland Avenue, Northeast, apartment #104. The defendant also correctly stated the date and provided his correct phone number. When the defendant was asked, 'what happened?' the defendant stated, 'my girlfriend and her son [E.P.] has been fucking with me for the past three days, I was fixing my little girl's hair.' Detective Johnson stopped the defendant and asked him 'how old is your little girl?' The defendant replied, 'three years old.' The defendant then stated, 'I told them to stop fucking with me, they would not leave me.'

Mays continued for a moment. What he said was unclear to detectives.

When the detectives again asked the defendant [what] happened, the defendant stated that he 'blacked out' and could not remember. The defendant was taken to X-ray and the interview ended.

It was the doctor's turn to check Mays out.

Medical personnel found that the defendant had superficial wounds to the left side of his chest. According to the treating physician, these wounds appeared to be self-inflicted.

The document then provides a breakdown of the fatal injuries to Erika Peters and her two sons.

Pursuant to additional investigation it was determined that the apartment was barricaded from the inside and there was no blood outside of the apartment. Decedent [Erika] Peters was found laying supine in the hallway of the apartment suffering from multiple stab wounds to the chest, face, and head, with defensive wounds to the hands. The juvenile E.P. was observed in the back bathroom laying with his back against the base of the wall next to the toilet, suffering multiple stab wounds to the chest and one large laceration to the right side of [his] head. The second juvenile D.P. was observed at Children's Hospital by detectives R. Cephas and E. Fenton of the Homicide Unit with an apparent stab wound to the back of the neck, head and right ear. Juvenile D.P. was pronounced dead at Children's Hospital by Dr. Kline at 2:40 p.m.

Officers found physical evidence at the scene that appears to tie Mays to the murders.

A knife and a hand-written note were found on the scene. Specifically, the defendant was found in a locked bedroom in the apartment. In that same bedroom, within the defendant's reach, officers observed a large, hunting-style knife with blood on it. The tip of the knife was broken off. The knife was positioned on top of a hand-written note. Only parts of the note were legible, including phrases, 'I'm sorry... I tried to make it work...'

The document goes on to provide information taken from a witness interview. The witness, a relative of the victims, stated the two boys had reported the defendant "would throw them down to the ground, place his knee on the back of their necks, pin their arms behind their backs, and beat them." The witness stated that they had seen the victims with black eyes and that they were terrified of being left alone with Mays.

At 9:59 p.m., an investigator with the medical examiner arrived at Apt. 104 and pronounced Erika Peters and E.P. dead. "All three bodies were transported to the Medical Examiner's office pending autopsies," the document states. All three had been stabbed through the skull.

Decedent Erika Peters had suffered the most stab wounds, with more than one dozen stab wounds to the chest alone. Additionally, a small piece of metal, [consistent] with the tip of a knife, was found embedded in the right rear portion of her skull.

Once Mays was released from the hospital, he was taken to the Homicide Unit where he was read his rights and processed.

Photo courtesy of WJLA-TV

Last night, City Desk got a bit of news on the triple homicide case—that the family did have contact with social services in 2006. Today, the Washington Post has an in-depth look at the problems between Erika Peters, her children and her live-in boyfriend.

The live-in boyfriend, Joseph Randolph Mays, was charged in the murders Saturday night.

The Post reports that Kimberly Trimble, Peters' sister, notified authorities about Joseph Mays' alleged abuse of one of the children: "Trimble said that about two years ago, she contacted the District's Child and Family Services Agency to report that Mays had shaken his daughter. A year after that, she said, she warned the principal at Holy Redeemer Catholic School to look out for marks on her sister's children. She said she did not remember what became of either warning."

This brings us back to CFSA and its involvement. Today we reached Attorney General Peter Nickles for a little more clarification.

Nickles says that CFSA received a hotline call in October 2006 concerning Erika Peters and her family. The call was for potential neglect or abuse. "The family engaged with CFSA in treatment," Nickles says. He refused to elaborate on the nature of the treatment.

"In 2007, a little more than a year after, the view was on behalf of the agency [that] the family was stable," Nickles says.

"Since that time, there has been no call, no indication" that there were problems in the Peters home at the Carver Terrace Apartments, Nickles added.

*photo of Erika Peters courtesy of WJLA.

Last night, Joseph Randolph Mays–Peters' live-in boyfriend–was arrested for the murders.

City Desk will update when we get the statement from the Mayor's office.

Update 6:18 p.m. Attorney General Peter Nickles released this statement:

"After receiving a hotline tip [in] 2006, the Department of Child and Family Services took appropriate steps to resolve issues. In 2007, after the necessary measures were taken, the case was closed, with no subsequent reports."

Erika Peters

WTOP reports that Joseph Randolph Mays was arrested for the triple homicide in Northeast yesterday. Mays is alleged to have killed Erika Peters and two of her children. Mays was Peters live-in boyfriend. The station writes:

"Police say Peters and one young boy were dead at the scene. The second young victim was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Police say Mays was found inside the apartment suffering from non-life threatening injuries. He was taken into police custody and treated at the hospital.

A third child was found unharmed and is now being cared for by Child Protective Services.

The homicide remains under investigation and anyone who has information about the case should call police at (202) 727-9099 or 1-888-919-2746."

WJLA is reporting the news of the Mays arrest as well and goes on to describe the scene at the Carver Terrace Apartments:

"What began as a call for a disturbance in the 2000 block of Maryland Avenue in NE around 2:15 p.m Saturday quickly turned deadly. First responders referred to the scene as 'very disturbing' and 'gruesome.'"

2:37 Update: Here is the D.C. Police Department's press release on the Mays arrest:

"On Saturday, March 21, 2009, 44-year-old Joseph Randolph Mays was arrested and charged with three counts of Murder 1 While Armed.

Shortly after 1 p.m., on Saturday, March 21, 2009, members assigned to the Department's Fifth District responded to the 2000 block of Maryland Avenue, NE to investigate a call for service. Upon arrival, officers requested the assistance of D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel to provide forced entry into the location. Once inside of the location they discovered four victims suffering from apparent trauma to the body.

Victim #1 is identified as 37-year-old Erika Peters, who was pronounced dead on the scene.
Victim #2 who's identity is not being release because he is a juvenile, was pronounced dead on the scene.
Victim # 3 who's identity is not being release because he is a juvenile, was transported to an area hospital in critical condition. The victim was subsequently pronounced dead.

The suspect 44-year-old Joseph Randolph Mays was transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries. He was treated and released into the custody of the Metropolitan Police Department's Homicide Branch.

This case remains under investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099 or 1(888) 919-CRIM[E] (1-888-919-2746).

The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons wanted for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia."

*photo courtesty of WJLA

"Kimberly Trimble, Peters's sister, said that Erica had lived in the apartment with her boyfriend for three years. She said the relationship was troubled.

Bobby Harper, Erica's father, said his daughter, who was hearing impaired, was an active member of Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church on Rhode Island Avenue, where she was involved in the dance ministry. She also signed during gospel concerts and special events.

Harper said he was supposed to pick up the children today for an outing: "I don't know what happened. All I know is that my baby is dead."

Just incredibly sad.

Fox News has more on the victims as well. Family of the victims "said the toddler who survived is named Ashley, and according to those relatives, [the] man taken to the hospital with injuries is the little girl's father." The station goes on to report that the relationship between Peters and the man were "troubled."

Update 9:09 p.m. Mayor's Office tells me they are still checking with social services to see if the family had contact.

The Washington Post is reporting that D.C. Police detectives are investigating a triple homicide discovered this afternoon where a woman and two children–ages 8 and 10–were found in a Northeast apartment. The Post writes:

"The slayings occurred at an apartment building in the 2000 block of Maryland Avenue. Several ambulances and police cars were on the scene. Police did not release the names of the victims or say if they were related.

Police took an adult male to the hospital with unidentified injuries. Police sources said the man is a suspect."

WTOP has characterized the homicides a result of a domestic dispute.  The murders occurred inside the Carver Terrace Apartments (a notorious drug gang recently operated out of there).  WTOP is also reporting that there was a third child and that child was apparently unharmed and taken by Child Protective Services. WJLA reports that the mother and two children were fatally stabbed:

"It happened...around 2:15 p.m Saturday. An adult male located on scene suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to a hospital, police say.  A third child, a 4-year-old female, was found uninjured and placed in the care of Child Protective Services."

Update 6:08 p.m.: From D.C. Police Department's press office: Officers from the Fifth District had responded to the location to "investigate the trouble." "There's been talk that there's been a stabbing but I can't confirm that. I don't have any information right now," says Officer Helen Andrews.

[Later, Alan Etter, spokesperson for the Fire Department, tells me in an e-mail that Truck 7 was dispatched to the location at 1:44 p.m. "We kept an ambulance around for some time—for at least three hours...in case any other victims were discovered."]

Update 6:13 p.m.: This is the message from the 5D listserv that just went out:

"I regret to inform the Fifth District community that we are on the scene of a homicide in the 1900 block of Maryland Ave. NE.   Units responded to the location around 1pm and discovered a juvenile and adult who had been assaulted and were deceased.  Another adult and juvenile were transported to  area hospitals.  The juvenile who was transported later died as a result of the injuries sustained during the assault.  The adult male is in stable condition.  Anyone having information please contact the police department imediately. 202 727 9099"

Update 7 p.m. The Post updated its initial report with some more details:

"D.C. police who were called to the scene forced their way into an apartment and found the woman and two children between the ages of 8 and 10 dead inside, from undetermined wounds....A girl, aged two, was unharmed and was taken from the apartment screaming."

The Post goes on to report that officials are trying to determine what if any contact the woman and the children had with social service agencies in the past.

The Post writes: "Neighbors said that the woman who was slain was hearing impaired and often did sign language interpretation at gospel concerts in churches around the area."

Update 7:13 p.m. City Desk just reached Assistant Chief Diane Groomes and was able to get some more details on the tragedy: She stated that at least two officers from the Fifth District were initially called to the scene. The call was to "investigate the trouble." When they arrived, they could not gain entry.

"They had to call the Fire Board to open the door," Groomes says. "I'm not sure how long it took them."

Groomes goes on to state that the man who was found at the scene and was taken to the hospital is currently being interviewed by police. "He's still at the hospital," she says.

Groomes adds that the department is "looking to see if there were any radio runs to that address" previously. Child and Family Services has also been called to see if the agency had prior contact with the children, Groomes says.

Carver Terrace Apartments

Update 8:04 p.m. Post updates its story again with more about the still unnamed victims. The man who is being questioned by police was treated for superficial stab wounds to the chest. The story goes on to talk about the children:

"[Neighbors said [the woman] had two older children who often played kickball or football in the courtyard of the apartment building. The surviving toddler girl, neighbors said, often communicated with her mother using sign language.

'They always complained they didn't have anywhere to play outside,' recalled neighbor Paulette Smith, a D.C. corrections employee. 'Basically they were a good group. One time a rainbow came out and they took pictures of it. All the kids were standing around looking at it. I guess you never know who you are living next to.'

India Henderson, an advisory neighborhood commissioner for the area, said the deaths were 'a horrific event.'

'People may have known that there were problems. They need to say something before things like this happen,' she said."

Update 8:28 p.m. WJLA reports that neighbors had heard screams and called the police. The network also has more on the adult male being questioned by police:

"'Basically, he was handcuffed to the stretcher. I think he was the possible suspect in this crime,' said Jimmy Cox, a neighbor.

Police have not named the suspect who is said to be in stable condition. There are reports he suffered a self-inflicted would; however, police have not confirmed that.

'Obviously with domestics sometimes it is completely unpredictable. I don't know if there is anybody that actually could identify and prevent a case like this or a case that involves a domestic,' said D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier.

Neighbors say there is a deaf mute mother who lives in the apartment with her three kids, but say the man is not their father.

'The two young people who lost their lives potentially at the hands of some other person is just an awful, awful thought, something that should just never happen,' said D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty."

*photo of Carver Terrace Apartments courtesy of the Post.