Virginia Man Sentenced to 53 Years for Roommate’s Execution Amid Eviction Dispute

Dontae Lashaun Drumgold sentenced to 53 years for the murder of Elijah Williams.

A Virginia man will spend decades in prison after being convicted of executing his roommate during an eviction dispute. Dontae Lashaun Drumgold, 29, was sentenced to 53 years in a state correctional facility for the first-degree murder of 25-year-old Elijah Williams, as well as using a firearm in the commission of a felony.

“The lengthy sentence in this case is appropriate, given the defendant’s premeditation and planning,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter said in a statement. “My thoughts go out to the victim’s family, who lost a loved one to violence over a mere dispute over rent.”

On March 23, 2022, Alexandria police responded to a reported shooting at an apartment building on Raleigh Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered Williams outside the building with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

An investigation revealed that Drumgold had been upset about his living situation. According to prosecutors, Drumgold was aware of Williams’ work schedule and waited outside their apartment on the morning of the incident. As Williams left for work, Drumgold shot him in the head with a small-caliber firearm.

Texts between the two roommates showed growing tension in the days leading up to the murder. Williams reportedly refused to cover Drumgold’s share of the rent, and both faced eviction if payment wasn’t made by March 23—the same day Williams was killed.

Evidence presented at trial included disturbing entries from Drumgold’s journal, where he expressed fantasies about shooting someone in the head. “Are they playing with your time or happiness?” one entry read. “I prefer a bullet to the head. It typically does the trick … the game is only fun if you don’t get caught.”

Despite Williams’ death, Drumgold expressed frustration that he would still be responsible for his share of the rent. A month after the murder, he was arrested and indicted on charges of first-degree murder and firearm use.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that Williams’ death was caused by a gunshot wound to the head, officially ruling it a homicide.

Upon completing his prison sentence, Drumgold will serve five years of probation.