U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte sentenced James Everett Flood III, 28, of Washington, D.C. to life in prison for the Jan. 3, 2002 kidnapping and murder of 19-year-old Eric Larry Hayes II, the son of a District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department officer.
Judge Messitte, calling the crime “senseless,” also sentenced Flood to an additional 65 years of imprisonment, which was imposed consecutive to his life sentence, for the related firearm and conspiracy convictions.
According to evidence established at trial, on Jan. 3, 2002, three defendants abducted Mr. Hayes from the 3200 block of 8th Street, S.E., Washington, D.C., by forcing Mr. Hayes at gunpoint into their car.
The defendants then transported Mr. Hayes to Prince George’s County. During the time of his abduction, Hayes was pistol whipped and shot several times in the face, head and limbs. His body was found off a residential street in Temple Hills.
The victim’s DNA was recovered in Flood’s vehicle that was used to commit the kidnapping. Flood transported the vehicle to North Carolina where it was located by law enforcement agents 13 months after the murder.
U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said, “Mr. Flood will suffer a heavy penalty for his part in this tragic act of violence.”
On Nov. 10, 2005 the same jury recommended the death sentence for co-defendant Kenneth Jamal Lighty, 23, of Hillcrest Heights, for his conviction of the kidnapping resulting in death. He also faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Lorenzo Anthony Wilson, 22, of Hillcrest Heights, was previously convicted of conspiracy to kidnap in a separate trial.
Rosenstein commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their investigative work, and thanked the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia for their assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Deborah A. Johnston and Sandra Wilkinson, are prosecuting the cases.