DC police search for suspect previously arrested for 16-year-old girlfriend's murder

WASHINGTON - D.C. police are again looking for a man they say is the suspect in the murder of his 16-year-old girlfriend in January near Gallaudet University. Officials say he was transferred to a Maryland county facility for another case, but has reportedly been released from custody.

Dekale Bowman, 18, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection to the shooting death of his girlfriend, Taiyania Thompson, on January 30. His arrest came five days after Thompson was killed.

Bowman was supposed to be in court Friday to face that murder charge, but he didn't show up. Court records show that sometime between May 1 and May 4, Bowman was transferred from the D.C. Juvenile Justice System to Prince George's County, Maryland for a different case.

Court records say Maryland officials released him on the promise that he would show up for his next court date. An official from D.C.'s Youth Rehabilitation Services told the court on Friday Bowman never came back to their facility after he was released from custody in Prince George's County.

FOX 5's Evan Lambert has learned Bowman was released by the Prince George's County Department of Corrections on May 3 on $2,600 bond. A Prince George's County correctional official told FOX 5 their procedure is to check for open warrants on inmates before they are released. Bowman did not have a warrant in their system, so he was released in accordance with the bond set by a judge.

On Saturday, D.C. police asked for the public's help in finding Bowman, who now has an outstanding warrant for his arrest in connection to Thompson's murder. Thompson died after police say she was shot in the head inside an apartment located in the 1000 block of Mt. Olivet Road NE on January 25.

Lambert spoke with Thompson's mother Saturday night, who said she was very upset that Bowman was out of jail.

Bowman is described as an 18-year-old black man with black hair who is 5'7" tall and weighs 175 pounds. Police released his photo on Saturday in hopes someone will recognize him and call authorities.

Anyone with information on Bowman's whereabouts is asked to call the Metropolitan Police Department at (202) 727-9099. Anonymous tips may be submitted to the department's text tip line by sending a text message to 50411.