Who Is Wayne Perry From DC and Where Is He Now?

Wayne Perry is one of the most notorious gangsters and killers in the history of Washington D.C. He terrorized Washington D.C. locals for nearly 20 years

Once dubbed the Michael Jordan of the murder game, Wayne Perry is currently incarcerated at the ADX Florence supermax prison in Fremont County, Colorado. However, before his ultimate downfall, he held sway on the streets of Washington D.C. in the 80s, killing for hire and extorting both lawyers, mobsters, and other gangsters alike.

Perry later became connected to the notorious drug lord Alpo Martinez in the 90s and served as his chief enforcer for two years. During this period, their trade prospered, and they grew quite wealthy. They also got rid of anybody who threatened their dominance in any way. The law eventually caught up with Alpo, and he snitched on his enforcer to get a reduced sentence. Perry took a plea deal with the authorities and escaped the death penalty.

What is Wayne Perry’s Age?

Wayne Perry’s age is 61 as he was born on the 14th of November 1962. His birthplace is Washington D.C., and his nationality is American. His ethnicity is African American.

Wayne Perry grew up with his mom and other family members in Washington D.C., where he attended Wilson High School. He was quite good at baseball and showed great promise on the school team. He could have well gone on to become a baseball star, but the trajectory was ruined by his environment. Wayne Perry grew up in inner-city Washington D.C. and got introduced to a life of crime and gangsterism as early as 12.

He started by cheating gamblers with rigged dice and marked cards. After that, he joined some gangs and accompanied them on their robbery operations. During these operations, Perry showed an affinity for guns and would shoot anybody that got in his way without a second thought. As a result, his fellow gang members began removing bullets from his guns to reduce his chances of killing anybody.

Wayne Perry combined a life of crime with his academics until age 17 when he used a bat to badly beat up his baseball coach. He was promptly expelled from school and barred from any public school in the D.C. area. This forced his mom to enroll him in another institution far away from home. He, by his accounts, however, ended up killing another student who threatened to steal his chain necklace. This accordingly marked the end of his academic journey.

Wayne Perry Was Convicted of Manslaughter at the Age of 22

Upon finally dropping out of school, Wayne Perry turned squarely to a life of crime on the streets. He built up a fearsome reputation as a ruthless killer with no scruples. Of course, some people dared to challenge him, and he immediately put them in their place. For instance, when he was 22, some newcomers in the D.C. area ganged up and pounced on him simultaneously.

They beat him up very well and even cracked his head with a chain before the cops came calling. These fellows broke up the fight when they sighted the cops, but Perry later reappeared while the cops were still around and pounced on one of his beaters. He smacked the fellow’s head several times and killed him in cold blood.

Perry escaped from the scene and hid away for some time. However, his mom convinced him to turn himself in to the authorities, and he was charged with manslaughter. Afterward, he was sentenced to several years in prison.

Wayne “Silk” Perry’s Body Count

Prisons are meant to be reformatory, but this is hardly the case in reality, and a good example of this is Wayne Perry. When he got out of prison in the mid-80s, he continued with his life of crime and even took it to higher levels. He exhorted from mobsters, lawyers, and drug lords alike. He also expanded his operations to robbery and murder and did it with bravado that few dared challenge him.

For instance, on one occasion, he got a dude to strip naked in the mall in broad daylight and shot him in the ass to prove to his companions that the man was faking his toughness. On yet another occasion, a pal of Perry’s had his hustlers runoff from their street corner by another dude. He (Perry) walked up to the interloper, emptied his entire magazine of bullets into his head, and walked off.

The police and ambulance arrived at the scene shortly, and he popped back to ensure that no one snitched on him. As Wayne Perry put it himself, he didn’t do that “across the street shit.” If he wanted to kill someone, he walked right up to them and emptied his bullets into their head without batting an eyelid.

Such an M.O. made him one of the most feared killers in the D.C. area, and he added murder for hire to his resume. He reigned supreme as the most feared personality on the streets of D.C., and many people took to paying him off to avoid trouble. Those who dared cross Wayne Perry’s path or snitch on him met their untimely end in various excruciating ways.

By his estimation, Wayne Silk Perry’s body count stands at 100+ meaning that he killed more than a hundred people in his life of crime. If this is true, it means that he has killed more persons than notorious serial killers, such as John Wayne Gacy and Ted Bundy, combined.

Wayne Perry Worked as the Chief Enforcer for Notorious Drug Lord Alpo Martinez

After several years of being his boss, Wayne Perry turned a new corner in his underworld career when he became the chief bodyguard, enforcer, and hitman for the notorious drug lord, Alpo Martinez. Martinez is originally from New York City and started selling drugs at 13. He eventually rose to become the biggest dealer in the city and set his sights on expansion to D.C.

For this particular purpose, he engaged Wayne Perry to help him dominate that area. There are varying accounts of how Wayne Perry met Alpo Martinez. Some have it that Martinez bailed him out of prison, and he, therefore, took to working for him as payback. As told by Perry himself, a more exciting version has it that he was informed that Martinez wanted to assassinate him and decided to kill him at a nightclub where he was chilling.

They ended up having a conversation and became good friends and partners. This partnership commenced in 1989, and in no time, the two took over the drug trade in the D.C. area. Martinez became stupendously wealthy, and he paid Perry handsomely. He gave him hundreds of thousands of dollars in monetary payment. He also regularly allowed him to take some of the cocaine they sold.

Perry, on his part, wasn’t selfish. He allowed his gang members and acquaintances to take some of the drugs that Martinez gave him. He also helped them with monetary assistance when they were in difficulty. All these secured their loyalty to him, and no one thought of snitching on him. He was, therefore, able to evade the authorities for many more years.

Did Wayne Perry Kill His Baby Mother?

One of the major tasks that Wayne Perry carried out as the chief enforcer for Alpo Martinez was assassinations. He ruthlessly eliminated anyone that could disrupt their business operations, be it witnesses, disloyal gang members, or rival drug dealers.

It is estimated that Wayne Perry orchestrated and carried out eight murders during the two years (1989 – 1991) that he worked for Alpo Martinez. Three of his victims were women cooperating with authorities investigating the Alpo organization. Amongst them was his girlfriend named Evelyn Carter.

As the story goes, Evelyn Carter compromised Perry, and he gunned her down at Constitution Hall after a concert given by Keith Sweat. Asides from Evelyn Carter, there is nothing to indicate that Wayne Perry killed his baby mother. In fact, to the best of public knowledge, there has never been a case of any lady getting pregnant or having a baby for the notorious gangster.

Wayne Perry was Arrested after his Boss, Alpo Martinez, Sold Him Out 

Wayne Perry’s association with Alpo Martinez lasted for two years, during which they grew quite successful. They jointly shipped about 500 kg (1,200 pounds) of cocaine valued at about $65.5 million. The two lived luxuriously and were able to escape the cops for a long time.

However, the long arm of the law caught up with them, eventually starting with Alpo Martinez. The Harlem-born drug lord was first charged with federal drug charges in July 1990, but he managed to evade the law for 17 months.

He was later arrested in November 1991 and charged with several crimes, including 15 counts of murder and multiple drug charges. Faced with the prospect of either the death penalty or life imprisonment, Alpo Martinez started singing like a bird and testified against several members of his organization.

One of those that he testified against was Wayne Perry, and the police started hunting for him anew. This time around, they had the advantage of the secret details spilled by Alpo, but it still proved difficult appending the notorious Perry. They eventually got him in 1993.

Wayne Perry Reached a Plea Deal with the Authorities to Avoid the Death Penalty

The authorities charged Wayne Perry, alongside two accomplices named Tyrone LaSalle Price and Michael Anthony Jackson, in March 1994. They were slapped with 27 counts bordering on committing murders to further a criminal enterprise, kidnapping, racketeering, robbery, first-degree murder, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, etc.

The authorities initially intended to seek the death penalty for Wayne Perry during the trial, but he later avoided this by reaching a plea deal. Under the terms of the deal, the state shelved its plans for the death penalty while Perry pleaded guilty without any trial. Therefore, he was sentenced to five life in prison sentences without the option of parole in April 1994.

Wayne Perry is Presently Incarcerated at the ADX Florence Federal Supermax Prison

Wayne Perry is presently incarcerated at the ADX Florence Federal Supermax Prison in Fremont County, Colorado. He has spent about 18 years there already and will remain there for the duration of his life, given that his sentence has no option of parole. The convicted gangster is therefore learning to move ahead with his life within the four walls of the prison.

According to reports, Wayne Perry has converted to Islam and now goes by Nkosi Shaka Zulu-El. He also subscribes to the Black Nationalist views. Perry has also been making efforts to communicate with the outside world. He previously ran a blog named new Afrikan 77 and posted some articles there around 2018.

These articles show a man that has turned a new leaf but still holds on to some deeply-held beliefs. For instance, Wayne Perry has urged young people to stay away from robbing, hustling, killing as well as other urges of self-destruction. He rather urges them to devote themselves to laudable things and denote honor, strength, excellence of character, bravery, and manhood.

However, the former hitman still dislikes snitches and has described the likes of Alpo as cowards, traducers, and ignominious rats. Wayne Perry also granted an interview to the King Earner YouTube channel in 2018 and urged people not to glorify street gangs and violence, which he equated to genocide.

Wayne Perry’s Net Worth

It isn’t easy to estimate what Wayne Perry’s net worth is. Even though he probably accumulated millions of dollars from his drug trade with Martinez, there is a good possibility that this was confiscated by the state, leaving him penniless.

This will likely remain his present financial status, given that he is incarcerated in a maximum-security prison. Although most prisoners do menial work and earn small stipends for them, Perry spends about 23 hours each day in isolation, meaning that there is not much avenue for him to do any menial work and earn some money.

Wayne Perry’s Story has been Memorialized in Books and Hip Hop Songs

Even though it might be distasteful, society is often fascinated with the lives of notorious criminals, and that is the case with Wayne Perry. His exploits have been covered by several magazines, and the likes of Jay Z even rapped about him in his 2013 song, Tom Ford. Wayne Perry’s life is also the subject of a book titled Washington DC Hitman: Wayne “Silk” Perry.

The book was published in 2015 and is written by a former convict turned journalist and author – Seth Ferranti. The book covers Wayne Perry’s exploits in the criminal underworld and shows that Alpo Martinez was living off his back while he did the actual heavy lifting in their drug-dealing operations.

Other Frequently Asked Questions about Wayne Perry

Is Wayne Perry Gay, and Does He Have A Boyfriend?

Wayne Perry is possibly gay. In 2020, a former convict named Sean Branch, who was in the same prison as Perry, revealed that he had caught him with a man. He also revealed that he confronted him about it, and Perry asked him to stay out of his business. Given such, it is very much possible that Wayne Perry has a boyfriend in prison.

Who Is Wayne Perry’s Wife?

The identity of Wayne Perry’s wife is not available as he has never been married to the best of public knowledge.

How Many People Did Wayne Perry Kill?

Going by his estimation, Wayne Perry killed over 100 people in his career.

Who Is Wayne Perry’s Son?

Wayne Perry has no son or any other children. He has never been married and has never been linked to having kids with anyone.

Key Takeaways

1. Wayne Perry, also known as “Silk,” was born in 1962 in Georgia and quickly became embroiled in the criminal world. He first got involved in criminal activities in 1974 at the age of 12, and by 16, he was engaged in illegal activities like drug trafficking, violence, and bank robberies.
2. Perry gained a reputation for being ruthless, calculating, and dangerous, leading him to become one of the most notorious gangsters in Washington, D.C. during the late ’80s and early ’90s. He acted as a hitman and bodyguard for Alberto “Alpo” Martinez, a Harlem drug lord, eliminating witnesses, disloyal gang members, and rival drug dealers.
3. Perry was described as one of the most heinous murderers in the District by The Washington Post. He was also referenced in a Jay-Z song, “Tom Ford”, underlining his infamy.
4. Known as the “Michael Jordan of the murder game,” Perry’s murders were executed so smoothly that it left people puzzled. He was considered a protector if he was on one’s side.
5. His association with Martinez ended when Martinez snitched on Perry leading to his arrest in 1993. Perry was charged with 27 counts, including first-degree murder, retaliating against a witness, kidnapping, robbery, conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, and was named the main orchestrator and shooter in eight murders between 1989 to 1991.
6. While in prison, Perry converted to Islam and adopted the name Nkosi Shaka Zulu-El, also embracing a Black Nationalist stance. He wrote a “Letter to The Youth” in 2013 addressing the youth of Washington, D.C., discussing his faith and his hope for the youth.
7. Perry, in his letter, also criticized his former gangster peers, such as Alpo, Rayful, Nicky Barnes, and Sammy the Bull, who turned informants or “snitches.”
8. Perry’s perspective has changed since his conversion to Islam. He stated in a 2018 phone interview from prison that his goal is now to save lives, rather than take them. He has been in isolation for over 20 years.
9. Perry’s reputation was tarnished when Sean Branch, a fellow inmate and a self-proclaimed “murderous drug-gang enforcer,” claimed that he lost respect for Perry after catching him in a compromising situation with another man.
10. Perry has written about honor and dishonor, urging the youth to be men of honor. He wrote about resisting self-destructive urges and being true to oneself as marks of honor, strength, and bravery.
11. Perry is serving a life sentence at the ADX Florence Supermax in Colorado, one of the harshest prisons in the country.
12. Perry, born in Georgia, grew up on L Street in the 203 area of Southwest Washington D.C and spent summers in Georgia. He has two known siblings, one of whom was killed in a bank in 1979.
13. Perry attended Wilson High School and then to Randall High School. However, he was expelled after assaulting his coach with a bat. He later attended Franklin GED school, where he killed someone who threatened to take his chain.
14. Perry’s criminal career ended when his long-term partner, Alpo, turned him in to the police. In a twist of events, Perry testified against Alpo in 1994. He pleaded guilty to five counts of murder and furthering a continuing criminal enterprise, resulting in a life sentence instead of the death penalty.
15. Perry’s life and crimes are documented in the book “Washington DC Hitman – Wayne “Silk” Perry” by Seth Ferranti.