A 29-year-old man from Virginia has been sentenced to 53 years in prison for killing his roommate during a dispute over unpaid rent. The tragic story unfolded in Alexandria, where Dontae Lashaun Drumgold was found guilty of first-degree murder and using a firearm to commit a felony. The victim, 25-year-old Elijah Williams, lost his life in a heartbreaking turn of events that could have been avoided.
The trouble began when both men were facing eviction from their apartment on Raleigh Avenue because they couldn’t pay the rent. According to prosecutors, Drumgold had grown angry and frustrated with the situation. Investigators found evidence that he had been stewing over the matter for days, including text messages showing his resentment toward Williams for not covering Drumgold’s share of the rent.
On the morning of March 23, 2022, Drumgold waited outside their building, knowing Williams’ routine. As Williams stepped out to go to work, Drumgold shot him in the head, leaving him dead at the scene. First responders arrived shortly after 6:50 a.m. and found Williams just outside the apartment building. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later confirmed that Williams died from a gunshot wound to the head, ruling it a homicide.
The investigation revealed chilling details about Drumgold’s mindset. Police found journal entries where he fantasized about killing someone with a gunshot to the head. In one particularly disturbing entry, he wrote about using a bullet as a way to solve problems, warning himself about the consequences of getting caught.
After the murder, Drumgold’s frustration didn’t end. He reportedly complained about still being responsible for his share of the rent even after Williams was gone. The court saw these details, along with the premeditation and planning that went into the crime, as reasons for handing down a lengthy prison sentence. Prosecutors described how Drumgold’s actions were not impulsive but carefully thought out in the days leading up to the shooting.
During the trial, the evidence painted a clear picture of Drumgold’s motive and actions. Prosecutors told the jury how he knew exactly when and where to find Williams, who had refused to cover the rent, leading to the escalating tensions.
Elijah Williams’ family has been left devastated by the loss, and the Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter said the sentence was appropriate, given the premeditated nature of the crime. He added that his thoughts were with the victim’s loved ones, who are mourning someone taken from them over something as trivial as unpaid rent.
Drumgold will also have to serve five years of probation after completing his sentence. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of how unresolved disputes and unchecked anger can lead to devastating consequences.