A Baltimore man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for his role in a murder plot intended to silence a federal witness, a scheme that led to the death of an innocent woman who was mistaken for the intended target.
Matthew Hightower, 44, received the sentence on October 8, 2026, after pleading guilty to using a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime resulting in death. The case stems from the May 2016 killing of 41-year-old Latrina Ashburne outside her home in northwest Baltimore, Maryland.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher also ordered Hightower to serve five years of supervised release after his prison term. His 40-year sentence will run concurrently with the federal prison sentence he is already serving for his role in the separate murder of David Wutoh.
Woman Killed in Case of Mistaken Identity
The shooting happened on May 27, 2016, as Ashburne was getting into her car outside her home on Rosalind Avenue in Baltimore’s Cylburn neighborhood.
According to court records, an armed man approached Ashburne as she entered the vehicle. She attempted to flee, but the gunman shot her in the upper body before running away.
Investigators later determined that Ashburne was not the person the attackers intended to kill. Their target was her next-door neighbor, a woman who had provided information to federal investigators and was expected to testify in a case involving Hightower.
The two women were reportedly similar in age and appearance, a resemblance that contributed to the fatal mistake.
After the shooting, Ashburne’s neighbor contacted law enforcement and said she believed the attackers had been looking for her.
Plot Linked to Federal Fraud and Murder Cases
The murder plot was connected to investigations involving Hightower’s alleged involvement in a healthcare fraud scheme and the killing of David Wutoh.
Federal investigators said Hightower wanted to retaliate against the witness for sharing information with law enforcement and prevent her from testifying against him.
According to court records, Hightower communicated with others about the plan while being held in custody before trial. Investigators said jail calls and letters were used to maintain contact with people involved in the conspiracy.
The investigation identified Davon Carter, 46, as the shooter and Clifton Mosley, 49, as his accomplice.
Evidence presented during their trial included phone records placing Mosley’s phone near the scene around the time of the shooting. Investigators also examined surveillance footage showing vehicles associated with the men and Hightower moving slowly through the neighborhood, apparently searching for someone.
Carter and Mosley were convicted in 2020 of conspiring to murder a witness, witness retaliation murder and witness tampering murder. Both were subsequently sentenced to four life terms in federal prison for their roles in the killing.
Hightower Already Serving Time for Another Murder
The Ashburne case was not Hightower’s first federal murder conviction.
He was previously sentenced to more than 31 years in federal prison in connection with the death of David Wutoh, whose killing was linked to an extortion case. Hightower’s later involvement in the plot against the federal witness led to additional charges.
In June 2025, Hightower pleaded guilty to the firearm offense connected to Ashburne’s death. The guilty plea brought the case against him to a conclusion and paved the way for his latest sentence.
During court proceedings, Hightower apologized for the harm caused by the plot, acknowledging that his actions had devastated Ashburne’s family as well as his own.
A Case With Lasting Consequences
Ashburne’s killing illustrates the devastating consequences of attempts to intimidate witnesses in federal criminal cases. She was not the person the attackers intended to target, yet she lost her life as she was leaving home.
The investigation involved federal authorities and local law enforcement agencies working to establish how the plot developed, identify those responsible and connect the shooting to the broader criminal cases.
With Hightower’s 40-year sentence now imposed, all three men identified as participants in the murder plot are serving federal prison sentences. Carter and Mosley received life sentences, while Hightower’s latest term will run at the same time as the sentence he is already serving.
The case underscores the serious legal consequences of conspiring to kill or intimidate a witness—and the irreversible harm such schemes can cause to people who were never meant to be involved.
