News Releases

For Immediate Release: Friday, September 17, 2021

Gaithersburg, MD - Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Department - Major Crimes Division have arrested and charged three individuals for the 2017 homicide of 17-year-old Christian Leroy Matthews in Silver Spring.

On March 21, 2017, at approximately 2:25 a.m., 3^rd District officers responded to the 1000 block of Mondrian Terrace for a suspicious situation.

When officers arrived at the scene, they located Christian Matthews, unresponsive. Matthews was transported to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death a homicide and the cause Asphyxia.

In March of 2017, Tysean Lipford, currently age 24, was arrested and charged with the First Degree Murder of Christian Matthews. In 2019, Lipford was found guilty of Second Degree Murder and sentenced to 30 years.

During the course of the investigation, 23-year-old twin sisters, Lemae Markia Matthews and Leaundra Kim Matthews, along with 25-year-old Daniel Juwan Howard were identified as potential suspects in the murder of the twins’ brother.

After four years of intense investigative work, probable cause was developed to charge the Matthews sisters, and Daniel Juwan Howard with first-degree murder.

Detectives applied for and received an arrest warrant charging each suspect with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Lemae Markia Matthews was arrested in Potomac on the strength of a Montgomery County arrest warrant.

Leaundra Kim Matthews was arrested in Takoma Park on the strength of a Montgomery County arrest warrant.

Daniel Juwan Howard was arrested in Silver Spring on the strength of a Montgomery County arrest warrant.

All three subjects are being held without bond at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

The Department urges anyone who has information about this homicide to call the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070. Anonymous tipsters can call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).