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Police: 'Stripper Queen Celebration' house party ends in homicide

The shooting death of Columbia, Maryland resident James Johnson is unsolved while the county cracks down on illegal house parties.

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, Md. — A house on Addison Road South in Capitol Heights, Maryland hosted at least four large parties since March. The last one ended in a homicide, according to Prince George's County Police.

Detectives say on the morning of July 3, they found a man dead inside a car parked in the party house's driveway. He had a gunshot wound to his head and was later identified as 26-year-old James Milton Johnson of Columbia, Maryland.

A detective with PGCPD explained the party house business to members of the county Noise Abatement Board during a meeting Thursday. 

"They were posting weekly, and they were marketing under the name, 'The DMV Stables," the detective said. 

County inspectors listed the series of parties from March to July with themes ranging from “Seductive Sundays” to “Crab Tuesday,” Fabulous Friday,” and finally, “Stripper Queen Celebration.” Entrance charges ranged from $20 to $60.

Police say the house party the night of July 2 on Addison Road South was actually an after-party. The first illegal party took place at a house on Cranford Drive in Upper Marlboro.

The Prince George’s County Nuisance Abatement Board met Thursday to levy fines against homeowners cited for loud and disruptive events. The Addison Road homeowner told the Board he had no idea his tenants were hosting illegal parties. 

"I was not aware of any of the parties that the residents of the house were throwing," homeowner Glen Thomas said. "I was aware they were having after parties. I had no idea they had Eventbrites, I had no idea that there was an Instagram page." 

RELATED: Mansion of former Maryland senator banned from throwing parties after massive gathering results in citations

The homeowner is not charged with a crime. The county board fined him $1,000.

"I made a mistake by taking a shortcut and not going and getting my renters license for the home," concluded Thomas.

A person identifying themselves as throwing the house parties tells WUSA9 they held “family cookouts” and denied any wrongdoing. They planned to move their ticket-selling events to an undisclosed location. Prince George's County forbids ticket selling events in homes.

RELATED: ANC commissioners ask police to enforce ban on large gatherings, house parties in DC

Prince George’s County is still looking for information connected to the deadly shooting of James Johnson at that house party. It has not released any information on a motive or suspect. There is a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

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