In March 2017, 17-year-old Christian Matthews was strangled in his family’s Silver Spring home during an attack by two men orchestrated by his older sister, Leaundra Matthews. One of the two men who killed Christian, Daniel “Ghost” Howard, 29, of Silver Spring, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison suspend all but 23 years to serve and five years of supervised probation upon release. Howard will receive credit for three years served.
In January of 2019, a jury convicted Leaundra’s boyfriend, 26-year-old Tysean Lipford, on a charge of second-degree murder for the death of Christian Matthews. He was sentenced in June of 2019 to 30 years in prison and is currently serving that sentence. Leaundra Matthews was sentenced in February 2024 to 30 years in prison suspend all but 25 years to serve and five years of supervised probation upon release.
In addition, Leaundra’s twin sister, Lemae Matthews, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to murder in October of 2021 and will be sentenced on August 16th. Below are quotes from a statement from Lemae Matthews which was read into the court record at a previous court date by Assistant State’s Attorney Patrick Mays:
“The night of the murder Leandra came into my room and asked me to watch her baby and put her to sleep. She told me that she was driving to pick up Ghost(Daniel) and Tysean and bring them to our house. She told me that they were coming over to “handle” Christian. I knew that they wanted to kill Christian but I hoped that they would just beat Christian up instead. I stayed at the house with Leandra’s baby while Leandra drove to pick up Ghost and Tysean. While Leandra was gone I texted with her and spoke with her on the phone several times. During the phone calls, Leandra asked me to go to the basement and make sure that Christian was in his room. I went to the basement and could tell Christian was in his room. I went to the basement and could tell Christian was in his room laying down in bed under a blanket. He appeared to be asleep. I informed Leandra that he appeared to be asleep. Leandra also called and told me that she had dropped off Ghost and Tysean and asked me if they were in the house yet. I was still on the phone with Leandra when Ghost and Tysean came into the house. I saw them on the main living floor but didn’t talk to them. I noticed that they were both putting on rubber gloves. I watched them go downstairs to the basement where Christian was sleeping. I was still on the phone with Leandra when they went downstairs.”
—Lemae’s statement goes on to say she then heard what sounded like furniture being slammed around and Christian yelling, “Stop, Stop.”
She took the baby out to Leaundra’s car and soon after, Ghost and Tysean ran up and got in the vehicle as well.
“While we were still in the car Ghost told everyone to keep it “Omerta.” I know that “Omerta,” means to stay silent or not tell anyone about what had happened. I told Leandra that I wanted to call 911. I still was hoping that Christian was just injured and not dead. Leandra didn’t want me to call 911 and we argued about whether I could call 911. Eventually Leandra agreed to let me call 911 but told me I had to wait until we got back home. Leandra told me exactly what to say on 911 and to the police when they interviewed me. I lied to 911 and the police because I was scared of what Ghost would do if I told the truth.”
“I didn’t tell anyone about what happened that night because I was scared that Ghost would kill me too.”
—- Lemae Matthews says about a month before the murder she heard Leandra tell Ghost and Tysean that she wanted Christian “gone.”
“I asked her if they could just beat Christian up instead, but Leaundra said that she wanted him ‘gone.’”
“In the months before Christian was killed there were problems between Christian and Leandra. The two of them would argue, and Christian would threaten Tysean. Christian didn’t like the fact that Tysean was the father of Leandra’s baby, and said that he wanted to fight Tysean. Leandra asked our mother to kick Christian out of the house, however our mother did not kick Christian out of the house.”
