D.C. Police Arrest Suspect In "Heinous" Torture-Slaying Of Logan Circle Resident Found Bound And Burned

A 36-year-old man has been charged with first-degree murder in the "heinous" killing of a DC resident who was found bound and set on fire in Logan Circle.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 1, 2026, 4:28 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Fox News

A Violent Breach of Security in Logan Circle

The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced a breakthrough in a case that Interim Police Chief Jeff Carroll described as "particularly heinous." Rico Rashaad Barnes was arrested on March 30 and charged with first-degree murder while armed for the death of 40-year-old Syed Hammad Hussain. The victim was discovered on February 11 inside his residence in the 1400 block of Rhode Island Avenue NW, a prominent residential and dining area in Logan Circle. Firefighters responding to reports of smoke at approximately 3:30 a.m. found Hussain face down, with his wrists and ankles bound, in an apartment that had been ransacked and partially set on fire.

Evidence of Calculated Surveillance and Assault

According to a 27-page affidavit, the crime was captured on a complex trail of surveillance footage. Video from the building lobby showed Hussain entering around 1:30 a.m., followed closely by two men. Investigators state the suspects knocked on Hussain’s door and were initially allowed inside. The encounter quickly turned violent; police say Hussain was struck and knocked to the ground in the lobby before being forced back into his apartment. Forensic examinations later determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma and ligature strangulation. Thermal injuries found on the body were ruled to have occurred after Hussain had already succumbed to the assault.

Tracking the Suspects via Public Transit

The investigative team spent weeks reviewing footage from the building, surrounding businesses, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Cameras recorded two individuals leaving the building around 2:30 a.m. carrying multiple bags containing approximately $50,000 worth of electronics, jewelry, and cash. The suspects were tracked walking along Rhode Island Avenue before boarding a Metrobus toward the Georgia Avenue corridor. This digital breadcrumb trail allowed detectives to identify Barnes and a second suspect, Alphonso Walker.