Tarpinian-Jachym

4/15/2026
DNA on shell casings ties two teens to murder of congressional intern, prosecutors tell D.C. court By Steven Terwilliger Thin Line News
Crime prevention resources

Prosecutors in Washington, D.C., told a judge Friday [4/10/2026] that DNA testing on shell casings recovered from the scene of a fatal shooting last summer produced an "overwhelming statistical match" to one of the teenagers charged with murdering Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, a 21-year-old congressional intern and University of Massachusetts Amherst student gunned down near the heart of the nation's capital.

Government attorneys also told D.C. Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson that DNA evidence ties a second defendant, Kelvin Thomas Jr., to the shooting, Fox News Digital reported. Two rounds of DNA testing have been completed, and prosecutors said additional expert testimony on DNA analysis, ballistics, and fingerprint evidence is expected at trial...

​All three defendants were teenagers when Tarpinian-Jachym was killed. Two were 17. Prosecutors chose to charge Jailen Lucas and Thomas as adults with first-degree murder while armed, a decision that carries vastly different sentencing consequences than a juvenile adjudication would...

This is my second report on young ​Eric, a Catholic.

Thomas, Lucas

Naqwan Antonio Lucas is not currently on trial, but his trial is expected to begin in February 2027. He is currently being held in custody following his arrest on 10/29/2025 in connection with two separate homicide investigations.