Marquis Bullocks Pleaded Guilty to Double Murder
The Washington man accepted a plea deal for his role in the 2021 fatal shooting of two individuals.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Violence
Marquis Bullocks pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder while armed in DC Superior Court on October 9. The plea agreement settles charges related to the deaths of Michael Pate and D'Juan Proctor.
Why it matters
The plea deal resolves two counts of murder for Bullocks and mandates an aggregate sentence of 30 to 35 years in prison. Remaining indictment charges are set to be dismissed when the court holds the sentencing hearing.
Bullocks pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder while armed as part of an agreement requiring 30 to 35 years in prison. The court has scheduled the formal sentencing hearing for December 11.
The players
Marquis Bullocks
He is a 33-year-old man who entered a guilty plea for the murder of two people in Washington.
Michael Pate
He was a 31-year-old victim who died from gunshot wounds sustained in a 2021 shooting.
D'Juan Proctor
He was a 28-year-old victim of the fatal shooting that occurred on Savannah Terrace.
Raychelle Freeman
She was a 24-year-old woman who died in 2021 after being threatened by the defendant.
The details
Prosecutors stated that Bullocks fired at Michael Pate 15 times during the shooting on the 2200 block of Savannah Terrace, SE, striking Pate twice and D'Juan Proctor once in the chest. While the defense argued an imperfect self-defense theory, the plea deal covers the deaths of Pate and Proctor but excludes the separate case of Raychelle Freeman, who died in 2021.
Timeline
Sept. 18, 2021: Michael Pate and D'Juan Proctor were fatally shot.
Dec. 3, 2021: Marquis Bullocks allegedly threatened Raychelle Freeman.
Dec. 5, 2021: Raychelle Freeman was found deceased.
Oct. 9, 2026: Marquis Bullocks accepted a plea deal in court.
Dec. 11, 2026: A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Bullocks.
Legal Context
This case follows the citywide trend of resolving violent crime indictments through plea negotiations in the wake of the 2021 violent crime spike in Washington D.C. The legal process here mirrors efforts by the court to clear significant case backlogs resulting from that period.
The resolution of this case brings a definitive end to one of the violent incidents that affected the Savannah Terrace neighborhood in 2021. Residents can note that the legal proceedings have moved toward sentencing, reducing the immediate uncertainty surrounding this specific prosecution.
The takeaway
The plea deal avoids a full trial while ensuring a lengthy prison term for the defendant. This case highlights how plea agreements are frequently used to resolve multiple charges in serious violent crime investigations.
What happens next
The court will reconvene for the sentencing hearing for Marquis Bullocks on December 11, 2026.
Further reading
For more on criminal justice developments, visit Washington Violence.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dcwitness.
