Last week, the Metropolitan Police Department announced the final arrests in the death of Chyna Crawford — the 25-year-old who vanished from Washington D.C. in October 2023.
In March 2024, authorities arrested 32-year-old Lashawn Washington and charged her with first-degree felony murder, kidnapping and obstruction of justice. A not guilty plea was entered on Washington’s behalf.
Nearly two years later, in February 2026, MPD announced that another arrest had been made. “As the investigation progressed, MPD homicide detectives identified a second suspect,” their release stated. “On Thursday, January 29, 2026, members of the U.S. Marshals Service located and arrested 31-year-old Bjarni Cooper.” Cooper was also charged with first-degree felony murder, conspiracy, armed carjacking, and armed robbery. He was assigned an attorney at a bench warrant hearing, and a plea of not guilty was entered.
Earlier this year, an indictment filed in the D.C. Superior Court was unsealed. It revealed that authorities also charged 29-year-old Tyjuan McNeal with Chyna’s death. In the indictment, four others, including two unnamed juveniles, are also listed in connection to Chyna’s case. The indictment, which includes 126 counts of crimes the suspects allegedly committed, stated, “Lashawn Washington, Bjarni Cooper and Tyjuan McNeal, within the District of Columbia, while armed with a firearm, purposely and with deliberate and premeditated malice, killed Chyna Crawford by shooting her with a firearm on or about October 24, 2023, thereby causing injuries from which Chyna Crawford died on or about October 24, 2023.”
On April 2, 2026, a Metro PD press release officially announced McNeal’s arrest and an additional one. “Members of the Homicide Branch charged 28-year-old Deionta Person and 29-year-old Tyjuan McNeal, both of Southeast, DC, with First Degree Murder-Felony Murder, Armed Carjacking, and Armed Robbery,” they wrote.
The next day, the fifth and final arrest was announced. The press release from Metro PD states that members of their fugitive unit “responded to DC Jail and charged 24-year-old Niquan Odumn of Southeast, DC with First Degree Murder While Armed-Felony Murder, Armed Carjacking and Armed Robbery.” After being booked, Odumn was remanded back to the Department of Corrections. He is currently serving a sentence for conspiracy to commit theft from a firearms licensee and possession of stolen firearms.
Although the arrests were announced later, the arraignments for McNeal, Person, and Odumn were held on April 1, 2026.
At McNeal’s arraignment, his attorney submitted a defendant’s assertion of IAD (Interstate Agreement on Detainers) rights, which stated that McNeal is “currently serving a federal sentence at USP Coleman, and he requests a final disposition to be made of the indictment pending in this matter.” McNeal is currently serving a sentence for conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking in the same case as Odumn. According to the DC Superior Court records, the government has until April 7 to respond to the IAD, and the defense, in turn, has until April 13 to respond to the government’s response.
Not guilty pleas were entered for McNeal, Person, and Odumn, as well.
All five charged in connection to Chyna’s death — Lashawn Washington, Bjarni Cooper, Tyjuan McNeal, Deionta Person, and Niquan Odumn — have scheduled status hearings on April 15, at which time trial dates will be set.
Chyna is still missing, and her case remains under investigation. Authorities encourage anyone with information to call the MPD at 202-727-9099 or text your tip to the Department’s TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.