Arrest made in murder of 18-year-old at DC hotel New Year’s Eve party; family pleads for justice

DC police arrest teen suspect in New Year's Day murder

D.C. police have taken an 18-year-old, accused of killing Ashlei Hinds at a New Year's Eve party, into custody. The victim is considered to be the first homicide of the year in the District.

WASHINGTON - D.C. police say they have arrested the man accused of taking 18-year-old Ashlei Hinds' life at a New Year’s Eve hotel party in the District.

Detectives charged 18-year-old Jelani Cousin with second-degree murder in connection with the teen's shooting death that happened early Monday morning inside a hotel room in northwest Washington. The arrest was announced Tuesday night. Hinds' murder tragically became the first homicide reported in the nation's capital in 2024.

Before police announced the arrest, Hinds' parents spoke with FOX 5 about their daughter and their hope for justice to be served.

"Beautiful soul. Outgoing. Loving, caring, family-oriented. Just…just overall amazing," said Tiffany Falden, describing Ashlei from the family's home in Clinton, Maryland.

Family remembers 18-year-old killed at DC New Year's Eve party as 'a beautiful soul'

The family of an 18-year-old woman shot and killed at a New Year’s Eve hotel party spoke exclusively to FOX 5 a day after her life was tragically taken on what was supposed to be a night of celebration.

Hinds’ parents tell FOX 5 she was a rising star. She graduated from Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School in Prince George’s County, class of 2023, as the Student Government Association president and a member of the National Honors Society.

Her parents say she was home on winter break from Louisiana State University where she was in her first year studying Sports Administration, with the hope of becoming either a sports agent or an athletic director.

"Ashlei was a great child," dad Ashton Hinds tearfully told FOX 5. "I will miss her so much."

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Credit: Damon Fleming

The family told FOX 5 that the 18-year-old was at a party at the Friendship Heights Embassy Suites hotel on Military Road with friends — and some she didn’t know as closely.

They couldn’t go into details due to the ongoing investigation but D.C. police told FOX 5 there was some kind of altercation. An area council member added that someone was told to leave and after that, shots were fired.

Hinds’ mother, Tiffany Falden, said she spoke with her daughter at around 11:55 p.m. Sunday up until around midnight, wishing each other Happy New Year and sharing "I love you’s."

But just before 1:20 a.m. on Jan. 1, police were on their way to room 718 where they found Hinds unconscious and unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

"I just want justice and any other families, I mean, it could happen to anyone. I mean, nowadays, people are just walking down the street and things are happening. Just love your family. Hold them close. Keep them around and just pray it doesn’t happen to your child or family member or anybody else," Falden said.

Police released images Tuesday of the suspected shooter leaving the hotel in a dark Moncler coat.

Photo via Metropolitan Police Department

While this family now prepares for a funeral, Councilmember Matt Frumin is planning a public meeting for Jan. 17 at the Cleveland Park library with the D.C. police chief and prosecutor.

Hinds' murder was a continuation of the violence seen last year, as D.C. closed out with 274 homicides in 2023. Online records say that is the highest number of murders the city has seen since 1997.

Cousin, of northeast Washington, was charged with second-degree murder while armed.

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