U.S. Marshals, Tactical K9 Arrest Two Suspects in Congressional Intern’s Murder

WASHINGTON - Jailen Lucas, 17, and Kelvin Thomas, Jr., 17, both of Washington, D.C., were arrested today by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force and the U.S. Marshals on charges of first-degree murder while armed, for the death of 21-year-old Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, an intern with the U.S. House of Representatives, on June 30, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

"Eric Tarpinian, a senior at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst was interning in our nation's capital, pursuing his passion for public service when he was fatally gunned down. . .an innocent bystander caught in a violent act not meant for him," said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. "He was shot four times and he leaves behind a grieving mother Tamara, father Robert, a brother Jeremy and sister Angela. This is why from day one I advocated for criminal jurisdiction over younger individuals with family court records. Eric's murder could have been prevented if we had captured these two, who have a documented history of family court violence."

The three armed suspects immediately exited an abruptly stopped stolen vehicle and began firing north on 7^th Street NW at two young men who jumped from a bicycle. Investigators suspect that they were firing at these young men believing that they were from an opposition neighborhood. Congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, of Granby, Massachusetts, was shot and killed. He was not an intended target, according to investigators.

The arrest team located one suspect, a 17-year-old whose name is being withheld due to his status as a juvenile, in Northwest, and surrounded the residence. The suspect refused to exit the residence and a SOG tactical K-9 was announced. He was taken into custody without incident.

The second arrested suspect, also 17, was taken into custody in the 2600 block of 24^th Street NE.

Joining the announcement was U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces S. Serralta Mayor Muriel Bowser, Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department, FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Phillip Bates.

The Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force began operations in June 2004 and was among the first regional fugitive task forces to become fully operational following the Presidential Threat Protection Act of 2000. CARFTF has partnership agreements with over 100 federal, state, and local agencies and has eight fully operational offices.

CARFTF has apprehended over 102,700 fugitives since its inception and has made an extraordinary impact on the apprehension of the region's most dangerous and violent fugitives, always striving to make their communities safer.

The Special Operations Group is a specially trained, rapidly deployable law enforcement element of the U.S. Marshals Service, capable of conducting complex and sensitive operations throughout the globe intended to further the rule of law. SOG leverages these enhanced capabilities in support of the Marshals Service mission and the Department of Justice to protect, defend, and enforce the federal judicial system.

A criminal charge is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.