My Fox DC
April 4, 2015
D.C. Police have made an arrest in the stabbing death of 30-year-old lawyer David Messerschmitt.
21-year-old Jamyra Gallmon was arrested Wednesday and faces murder charges in the case. FOX 5 spoke with Vincent McDuffie – coach and teacher at Forestville Military Academy. He provided insight into his former student and confirmed photos of Gallmon found on Facebook.
“Jamyra was a wonderful person, she was a wonderful student. Real low key, real calm individual,” McDuffie said about Gallmon.
He said he had a close relationship with all of his former basketball players – including Gallmon. “They were a very close-knit group. They all went to school together. They grew up together. We treated our basketball team, as well as our community, as a family.”
Coach McDuffie said Gallmon was a good student and took college prep classes. He said Gallmon aspired to play college basketball until she suffered a knee injury.
McDuffie said he didn’t remember Gallmon being involved in any altercations or arguments and said no one at the school saw this coming.
“Jamyra wasn’t that type of student,” he said. “She was a normal student. She was a normal teenaged girl.”
McDuffie said he was shocked when he heard the news about the charges and says that Gallmon’s alleged actions are not representative of the Forestville school and community.
“Jamyra’s family, her mom, her brother, they were very supportive during her high school years. They showed up to the games. They were part of the family,” he said.
McDuffie said he hopes the best for Gallmon and her family.
Messerschmitt was found stabbed to death inside a fourth floor room at the trendy D.C. hotel on February 10.
According to court documents, officers found blood on the floor, walls and the door of the room. A wallet was found next to Messerschmitt with various credit cards and identifying documents spread throughout the room.
The affidavit says credit cards, an HP computer, lubricant, condom, enema, cell phone, bedding, watch, towel, curtain and swabs were some of the evidence seized in the search. Fingerprints were also found in the room.
D.C. police released surveillance video and photographs of a person of interest seen coming into the hotel and walking up some stairs.