Washington, D.C. – In a harrowing case in Washington, D.C., a 37-year-old man named I. Fall will serve decades in federal prison for ambushing and killing his ex-girlfriend shortly after their breakup in 2021, shooting her in the head as she attempted to move on with her life.
Fall was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for the murder of D. Northern, authorities said. Fall’s conviction and sentencing bring a tragic end to a heartbreaking tale of jealousy, violence, and lost hope.
Following a January trial, a Superior Court jury convicted Fall of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a violent crime, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Superior Court Judge R. Brandt imposed the sentence on Friday, ordering Fall to serve 50 years in a federal facility without the possibility of parole.
Fall must also serve five years of supervised release once his prison sentence is completed. Prosecutors said Fall’s actions were deliberate and planned, taking Northern’s life just as she was about to start a new chapter.
The incident occurred early on Sunday, July 18, 2021, outside Northern’s home. Northern had planned a “night on the town” with her best friend to commemorate her recent split from Fall. Prosecutors stated that she felt “light and happy” after ending her troubled relationship.
As Northern exited her house around 1:30 a.m. and approached her friend’s waiting car, she had no idea that Fall, whom she had recently evicted, was lurking nearby. According to prosecutors, Fall attempted to intercept her on the sidewalk, but Northern ignored him and continued towards the vehicle.
“As Northern got into the front seat of her friend’s waiting vehicle, the defendant started reaching for his waistband,” according to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. “As Northern closed the door, the defendant shot her in the head as she sat next to her best friend and fled the scene.”
Northern sustained a gunshot wound to her right eye. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced her brain dead. She was pronounced dead later that day.
Authorities claimed Fall took deliberate steps to conceal his actions. He allegedly turned off the security cameras at Northern’s house before the shooting. However, Fall was caught fleeing the scene by nearby security cameras.
Northern’s best friend later told investigators that Fall said something derogatory “about gay s—” just before shooting, possibly referring to Northern’s friendships with members of the LGBTQ+ community. Prosecutors claimed that Fall’s hatred, jealousy, and resentment fueled his final violent act.
Fall fled the scene immediately following the shooting, but was apprehended by authorities two weeks later. He remained in jail while awaiting trial.
Fall faced the possibility of a life sentence, but instead received 50 years, a punishment that reflected the premeditated cruelty of his crimes. Prosecutors claimed that Fall’s actions ruined not only Northern’s life, but also the lives of her bereaved family and friends.
The prosecution emphasized during the trial how Fall planned to ruin Northern’s “perfect day” to celebrate her freedom from him. “She never saw it coming,” they said during the opening statements, emphasizing the attack’s unexpected and shocking nature.
Northern’s loved ones continue to mourn a vibrant woman who was just beginning to reclaim her happiness when she was killed by senseless violence. Now that Fall has been sentenced, justice has been served, but it is far too late for Northern, a woman who died tragically and heartbreakingly at the hands of a man she once trusted.
