Two teens arrested in murder of Capitol Hill intern, third sought: DOJ, DC police

Two 17-year-olds were arrested in the murder of Capitol Hill intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym. 

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro named the two suspects as Jailen Lucas and Kelvin Thomas Jr. She said both of the suspects were charged with murder while armed, which constitutes first-degree murder under D.C. law, and will be tried in adult court. 

Pirro noted that Lucas and Thomas, though juveniles, have prior violent records in family court. She criticized D.C. leadership for allegedly coddling juvenile offenders in the past and added, “They don’t need to be protected; they need to be held accountable, and we need to be protected.”

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“I am advocating and have advocated for jurisdiction over juveniles 14, 15, 16 and 17. They need to be brought into the criminal court so that we can prosecute them because if we do, we can prevent the murder that happened here based upon the histories of these two and the third individual that I cannot talk about,” Pirro said on Friday.

While a third suspect has not yet been caught, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith said on Friday she was “confident” authorities will make another arrest in the case.

“These two arrests, and a third one pending – I’m confident we’ll get the third one – give Eric’s loved ones some sense of peace as they continue to grieve a tremendous loss. Eric came to our city with a bright future ahead of him interning in a role where he served the public on Capitol Hill. He deserved an opportunity to return home safely to his family but was senselessly taken from his loved ones,” Smith said.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also participated in the news conference, condemning gun violence in the city. However, when asked about expanding Pirro’s jurisdiction to include younger offenders, the mayor declined to comment, saying simply, “The reason why we’re here, talking about 17-year-olds being charged as adults, it’s because the U.S. attorney has that authority for 17-year-olds.”

The mayor added that she agreed with Pirro that “cold-blooded murder” is a crime for which 17-year-olds can be charged as adults.

Tarpinian-Jachym, a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, was interning for Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kan. Tarpinian-Jachym, was fatally shot in Washington, D.C., in June, just one mile from the White House.

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“The murder of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym shook our nation’s capital, and today justice is moving forward. Thanks to the relentless work of the FBI, MPD and the Justice Department, two suspects are in custody. This is exactly what President Trump meant when he promised to make Washington, D.C., safe again: law and order, accountability, and justice for victims,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital.

Attorney General Pam Bondi also commented on the arrests, saying that if the suspects are convicted, “they will face severe justice.”

“We hope that this provides some measure of solace to his family,” Bondi added in a statement.

In July, the House observed a moment of silence in honor of Tarpinian-Jachym, and Estes praised the slain intern as a “dedicated and thoughtful and kind person who loved our country.”

“He was a kind and friendly presence in my office, greeting everyone who came through the door with a smile,” Estes said on the House floor. “The loss of Eric will be felt for a long time. We will never forget his presence and kindness in my office. Those he met in his short term in my office will never forget him either.”

Tarpinian-Jachym is survived by his mother, Tamara; his father, Robert; his sister, Angela; and his brother, Jeremy.

President Donald Trump’s approach to tackling crime in the nation’s capital has drawn praise and criticism as National Guard troops patrol the streets.

In August, former Department of Government Efficiency employee Edward Coristine, best known by his online nickname “Big Balls,” was the victim of a violent attack in D.C. Two teenagers were subsequently arrested and charged in connection with his assault.