[Archived] Clark Sentenced For Murder of Saquan Hall

For Immediate Release: July 27, 2017

On July 27, 2017, DiJuan Marquie Clark, a 32-year old Alexandria resident, was sentenced to serve 31 years of active incarceration in prison on the charges of Murder in the Second Degree and Use of a Firearm in the Commission of Murder for the shooting death of Saquan Emari Hall. The defendant had previously entered a plea of guilty to the charges on March 16, 2017.

The evidence showed that in the early morning hours of July 2, 2016, the victim, Saquan Hall, a 23-year-old Alexandria resident, traveled to the 1000 block of First Street, in the City of Alexandria, where he encountered the defendant.  After a brief verbal altercation, the defendant opened fire on Mr. Hall.  Mr. Hall fled down an alley toward North Patrick Street, and the defendant pursued him.  The evidence showed that the defendant continued to fire as he pursued Mr. Hall onto North Patrick Street.  As Mr. Hall continued to flee south on North Patrick Street he was struck in the back by a bullet and fell to the ground.  As Mr. Hall lay on the ground at the intersection of First Street and North Patrick Street, the defendant approached, stood over him and fired again, striking Mr. Hall in the head.

Multiple people in the area called the police, who responded to the scene within minutes.  Mr. Hall was ultimately transported to the George Washington University Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. 

The defendant was apprehended in North Carolina on July 21, 2016, and extradited to the City of Alexandria.  Upon his arrest, the defendant stated to police that he believed Mr. Hall was responsible for the murder of the defendant’s brother, Pierre Clark, which happened on June 9, 2016, also in the City of Alexandria at a location very near that of Mr. Hall’s subsequent death. 

Mr. Hall is survived by a 3-year-old daughter, a 2-year-old son, his mother, and multiple siblings, aunts, and uncles.  Several of Mr. Hall’s relatives testified at the sentencing hearing.

 The defendant was sentenced to serve 43 years of incarceration, with 12 years of that sentence suspended on terms and conditions.  Upon his release from prison, the defendant must comply with 10 years of supervised probation, and 20 years of uniform good behavior.  The defendant was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution for the victim’s funeral expenses.  There is no parole in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Commonwealth's Attorney Bryan Porter said: “It is my sincere and fervent hope that the significant sentence handed down by the Court in this case marks the end of a futile cycle of violence and revenge – a cycle that produced only misery and ruined lives.”

“While DiJuan Clark apparently believed that Mr. Hall was responsible for his brother’s murder, the rule of law cannot countenance citizens settling personal disputes by resorting to gunfire. In this case, DiJuan Clark apparently lay in wait for Mr. Hall and shot him dead in cold blood. The significant sentence secured by my office establishes that the planned murder of any citizen, no matter the perceived motive for the act, will be dealt with sternly in the City of Alexandria.”

“I want to commend the hard work of the Alexandria Police Department in this case. Through exceptional, professional investigative work the detectives brought a case that resulted in a guilty plea and the end to this cycle of violence.”   

The case was investigated by Detective Bikeramjit Gill of the Alexandria Police Department. Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Sean Sherlock prosecuted the matter on behalf of the Commonwealth.

The defendant is incarcerated in the William G. Truesdale Alexandria Adult Detention Center pending his transfer to the Department of Corrections.