The Case of Dionte Alexander
Hi friends, welcome to *True Crime with Ivana Estelle*. I’m your host, and today we’re covering the case of a young man who was murdered in Washington, D.C. Before we begin, I want to be honest with you. I decided to focus more on local and lesser-known cases because true crime should not just be about clout or gimmicks. Of course, I would love for my podcast to grow to the point where I can interrupt my stories to sell you mattresses and hair growth pills—and fair warning, I do plan on getting there—but I recognize that big, widely publicized cases don’t always make a real difference. They often become just another version of the same story, retold from different perspectives, which I imagine isn’t always helpful or respectful to the families involved.
When I decided to highlight a D.C.-based case, I initially considered covering a murder from my own neighborhood, but I chickened out. D.C. is small, and as someone once told me, you never know who’s listening or watching. Instead, I turned to the Metropolitan Police Department’s unsolved homicides list, thinking I’d have a variety of cases to choose from. To my shock, nearly every single unsolved murder victim was a Black man, with only one or two Black women among them.
Staring at a sea of faces, I wondered: *How do I choose?* The truth is, I couldn’t pick one life over another. But one name stood out—an 18-year-old young man whose future was just beginning. His photos showed him at graduation, surrounded by family with a football background. In 2024, it didn’t make sense that his life was taken so suddenly, with no answers. His case remains unsolved, and as I unpack his story, I want you to keep that in mind.
This is the case of Dionte Alexander.
---
Who Was Dionte Alexander?
Finding information about Dionte Alexander online is difficult. At 18 years old in 2024, he was part of the social media generation—Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram—but his digital footprint is nearly nonexistent. His name is common, which complicates searches, and most articles about his case are buried under unrelated news. There’s even another Dionte Alexander, a young basketball star, whose presence online overshadows any coverage of the Dionte in this story.
From the few photos available, Dionte appeared to be a well-dressed, laid-back young man. He had a slender build, almond-colored skin, short brown locs, and a thin adolescent mustache. He was handsome, with sleepy brown eyes and a quiet confidence. A tattoo of a cross adorned his neck, and he wore jewelry that hinted at his sense of style. At the time of his murder, he was just one week away from graduating from Anacostia High School.
Education in D.C. is not always a given. Many students struggle with literacy rates, truancy has surged since the pandemic, and schools in Southeast D.C. are often overcrowded yet struggle with enrollment due to the city’s high cost of living. The fact that Dionte was set to graduate was an achievement in itself. His school, Anacostia High, is known for its college preparatory focus, encouraging students to envision a future beyond the 12th grade. The neighborhood of Anacostia has a rich history, once a stronghold for Black families in the 1970s and ’80s, now facing rapid gentrification.
On graduation day, while his classmates celebrated their hard-earned diplomas, a chair was left empty for Dionte, adorned with his photo and flowers.
---
The Night of the Murder
On June 11, 2024, at approximately 9:57 p.m., gunshots rang out in the 1900 block of 18th Street SE. Dionte Alexander was shot by an unknown assailant—or possibly multiple assailants. Witnesses described the scene as a "war zone," with around 30 gunshots fired. Standard firearm magazines hold between 5 to 10 rounds, while extended magazines—like Glock sticks—can hold up to 33 rounds. The sheer volume of shots suggests multiple shooters.
Despite the neighborhood’s reputation for violence, the details surrounding Dionte’s murder remain murky. Was he an unintended victim, caught in the crossfire? Or was he targeted? The lack of clarity is unsettling. June 2024 was oppressively hot, with violent crimes happening in broad daylight across the city, yet Southeast remained the epicenter of bloodshed.
Dionte was left at the scene, where he bled out and died before he could be taken to a hospital. The aftermath of his murder led to public outcry and renewed calls for action against gun violence. A local news station, WUSA9, interviewed a neighbor who had captured the gunfire on his Ring camera. He spoke anonymously, describing how bullets had previously pierced his windows and walls, highlighting the terror that residents lived with daily.
Despite the attention, Dionte’s murder remains unsolved.
A Case That Fades Too Fast
If there was security footage capturing the gunshots, surely someone saw something? Thirty rounds of gunfire at 10 p.m. isn’t subtle. The street is long but offers many vantage points where witnesses could have seen the shooters without being directly in the line of fire. Yet, no suspects have been named.
By June 17, the Metropolitan Police Department announced a $25,000 reward for information. Weeks passed with no developments. In fact, even finding accurate reports on Dionte’s case was a challenge—one news outlet even misspelled his name as “Deontay” in an article, making it feel as though he was slipping through the cracks.
The broader context of Dionte’s murder is equally disturbing. In Southeast D.C., an alarming number of young men—some as young as 16 or 17—are involved in violent crimes. A chilling trend emerged over the summer: groups of young men wearing all-black clothing and masks, even in sweltering 90-degree heat. This anonymity, whether for protection or intimidation, adds another layer of fear to an already volatile environment.
Was Dionte’s death a random act of violence? A robbery? A targeted attack? Without leads, we may never know.
---
The Unanswered Questions
The gentrification of Southeast D.C. has intensified in recent years. Streets filled with newly built townhomes contrast sharply with older brick row houses, some abandoned, some passed down through generations. In neighborhoods like Anacostia, the calls for more police presence clash with the community’s deep-rooted mistrust of law enforcement.
And yet, Dionte Alexander is not forgotten. His teachers, classmates, and family ensured
https://mpdc.dc.gov/dailycrime
https://www.dcnewsnow.com/news/local-news/washington-dc/mpd-arrests-17-year-old-in-connection-to-southeast-dc-triple-shooting/
https://mpdc.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/mpdc/publication/attachments/alexander_dionte.pdf
https://mpdc.dc.gov/release/mpd-investigating-fatal-shooting-southeast-
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.8674788,-76.9790086,3a,75y,232.94h,81.86t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s_45mPl1w5On_Of9Q9rmScg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D8.1404508087967%26panoid%3D_45mPl1w5On_Of9Q9rmScg%26yaw%3D232.94357720511127!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDEyMi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacostia
https://www.shorenewsnetwork.com/2024/06/13/teen-shot-multiple-times-dead-in-d-c-6/
https://www.fox5dc.com/news/like-warzone-one-dead-after-barrage-gunshots-anacostia
https://crimesolverscentral.com/homicide/43932
https://www.congressheightsontherise.com/blog/fatal-shooting-of-dionte-alexander-18-in-ward-8
