Jody Lee Miles and Euro Death Row Groupies

The death sentence of Jody Lee Miles has been upheld, reports the local news and Jody Lee Miles himself. (How do you get a Tumblr account on death row?) Miles has a Facebook account too, maintained by his wife. (Not his first wife, Jona, who helped him hide the evidence, but another wife, Michaela, who lives in the UK and apparently never met him in person before they were married until a TV station arranged it.) ... More about Miles' case here.
.... European death row groupies, who knew?

Hermann: a fascinating suicide story

Troy Taylor, convicted of killing septuagenarian security guard Charles Bowman at the Yau Brothers Carryout on Greenmount, got five months and 29 days added to his sentence when he refused to answer questions regarding the alleged triggerman on the witness stand.

... and looks like Luke Broadwater (of Examiner fame) is reporting for the Sun now-- good news for crime-concerned readers.

And Peter Hermann on a macabre tip this morning: a man shot himself outside of Union Memorial Hospital, leaving a note that he wanted to donate his organs. Blogs Hermann, "We of course would like to know more. Suicide is always a tricky subject to write about, but if this man really thought the only way to donate his organs was to shoot himself, it's a fascinating, through tragic, story. We'd also like to know why he chose Union Memorial, and if he intended to wound himself to stay alive long enough so doctors could harvest."

The even slower wheels of justice

The judge in the case of alleged prison-guard killer Lee Stephens has once again give the OK for prosecutors to seek the death penalty. If Stephens's trial starts in January as scheduled it will have been nearly six years since the murder of Cpl. David McGuinn at the Maryland House of Correction.

New Helicoptors, Shootings Galore, and Beyond

The BPD go from almost losing their helicopter fleet, to getting an entirely new one.

The victim of a September 7th double shooting has died. Isaiah Roane, 29, died Tuesday. Apparently Mr.Roane had several gun and drug arrests and convictions, as well as a 2006 arrest for attempted murder.

Non-fatal shooting of a 38-year-old woman at the intersection of West Lafayette Ave. and Ashburton St.

Three people were shot over a period of twelve hours earlier this week.

31-year-old Kenneth McDuffie is facing attempted murder charges afterhis 32-year-old girlfriend after leaving an Essex party.

The lawyer for Reuben Dunn, 28, claims that Dunn wasn't driving that fateful day when two Baltimore teens were struck and killed.

90 years in prison for one murderer, a conviction for another. 36-year-old James Fortune has been sentenced to 90 years in prison for a 2008 double shooting that left 25-year-old Sidney Millner dead. Convicted of first degree murder is Charles Thomas, 47. Thomas was convicted of the 2009 daylight killing of Alvin Alston.

We can all sleep easy now, because according to the FBI Baltimore's police force is quite well staffed.

More information on the fatal shooting in Dundalk earlier this week. Robert Charles Nelson, 24, was found dead directly across the street from the site of Joseph Palczynsk's famous hostage taking and stand-off. Based on the tone of the article, police seem very doubtful about the chances of capturing the suspect anytime soon.

Bail denied for the suspect in the Bowie State stabbing. Alexis Simpson, 19, is being held after her arrest for the stabbing death of 18-year-old Dominique Frazier, allegedly over an Ipod.

Studies have found that crime cameras appear to actually be cost effective. The cameras are apparently netting a whopping $1.50 for every dollar spent.

Apples grown at Hagerstown prison are to be sold to local food markets.Interesting they chose the one food already synonymous with hidden razor blades... but potential mouth injuries notwithstanding, these felon fruits will be sold at only 1/10 the price of normal apples.

In a classic case of just deserts, former mayor Sheila Dixon's house was burglarized Monday. Justin Fenton thankfully takes no time to make an allusion to when her home was raided as part of her embezzlement investigation.

Friends turn witnesses in the trial of 20-year-old Michael Hunter, the man accused of robbing and killing 72-year-old security guard Charles Bowman at the oft dangerous Yau Brothers carry-out on Greenmount.

Police are ISO the unpatriotic-SOB who shot a bald eagle in Western Maryland last Friday.

County police are looking for this robbery suspect, who hit a Comfort Inn and tried to hold up the Security Square Malls Macy's building.

A mandatory-minimum 5 year sentence is in store for former P.G. County officer Chong Chen Kim, age 43. Kim plead guilty to his role a massive untaxed cigarette conspiracy alongside former P.G. County officer Richard Delabrer, and small business owners Amir Miljkovic and Chun "Eddy" Chen.

Finally, 15 years in federal exile for 45-year-old Tyrone Slim Dollar" Dale.

Shooting in Waverly

A man shot in the head in Waverly at 4:30 in the afternoon, steps from Waverly Elementary and the 33rd street Y.

The slow wheels of justice

More than three years after hearing arguments in the case, the Maryland Court of Appeals has upheld the death sentence of Jody Miles, as well as the standard that Maryland juries use when deciding whether to impose a death sentence.

Unclassified deaths in Baltimore

State Medical Examiner Dr David Fowler sheds some light on the hangings, shootings, and bodies in the harbor that end up being unclassified deaths

Cordish Swaps Green Cards for Casino Bucks

The WaPo alleges that the Cordish co is trying to lure potential Chinese casino investors with promises of green cards for a $500k investment ... and it's all totally legal. Which makes it not really fodder for this blog... But it's all just too hinky-sounding to resist.

25 years for Antonio Barnes

... alleged to have beaten a four-month-old to death in 2009. ... the only infant homicide I can find on the 2009 toll is one-year-old Janaya Wallace, killed on Kentucky Avenue, near Herring Run Park on the East side and last seen by her father ... wonder if this is the same infant or if Barnes' victim was added later?

Butt saliva fingers senior-stabber

Anthony Robinson, accused of murdering 91-year-old Irene Logan, was nabbed by DNA from a cigarette butt (a la the alleged East Coast Rapist Aaron Thomas).

"Kick it out"

Press release from your SAO. On one hand Cheshire is a much cleaner writer than Sviatko was, on the other, could someone please show the man how to send out a text file instead of an image so the Internets will be able to search it & people can read it without magnifying? Does he type it on a manual typewriter or something? Come on now.

Lunchtime Crime

Probably not a crime, but a JV football team in Baltimore County had to forfeit a game over a sexual encounter between a girl and several team members.

Billy Murphy wants to milk the Kennedy Krieger Institute for some serious money over lead paint.

Fatal shooting in Dundalk.

The re-trial of two alleged dog burners has been postponed until November.

There's been an arrest in the fatal Bowie State stabbing.

91-year old Irene Logan was murdered in her home in early August, and now police say they have made an arrest.

Recent Homicides, Toliet Bombs, and So Much More

In a very unfortunate-yet-fitting metaphor for our city, 16-year-old Bruce Benn was shot to death next to a bench proclaiming Baltimore to be the "Greatest City in America."

A 2006 shooting victim, who subsequently died in 2009, has been added to the homicide tally. Gerrod Davis, who was 22 at the time of his death, will become 2011's 147th victim.

Details are sparse at the moment, but a Bowie State student was stabbed to death on campus earlier today.

Duane "Shorty" Davis, the creator of the "Towson toilet bomb" and friend of the blog, has been acquitted of any charges related to his leaving a toilet covered in various articles and writings outside the Towson courthouse back in February.

A 7th Baltimore cop has plead guilty to his part in the major towing scandal that has plagued Baltimore police. Jhonn Corona, 33, plead guilty to sending accident victims to Majestic Auto Repair as well as crashing his own car in order to send false reports to his insurance company.

Arrest is made in the slaying of a Baltimore bondswoman Nichole McNair. 21-year-old Dominique Davon McDonald has been charged with first and second degree murder for the cold-blooded killing.

Dante Jeter, 24, who is still awaiting trial for the 2006 slaying of Arundel dentist Albert Ro, has been sentenced to 60 years in the 2008 City shooting of Tyrone Freeman.


There really are evil twins in the world, except this time it's not on board the Enterprise, it's over in Howard County, where 23-year-old Wael Ali is accused of killing his twin brother Wasel Ali back in 2007. The real kicker is that after the murder Wael made several statements to the press and even created a Facebook page in remembrance for the killing. (The Ali brothers pictured right.)

A 21-year-old was shot in the 1000 block of North Arlington Ave at late last night.

Do you recognize this man? He's wanted by the BPD as a person of interest in the 2010 killing of Durell Cartwright.

The trial of Michael Hunter, 20 and one of two men accused of killing 72-year-old Afro paper security guard Charles Bowman, will finally commence soon after being delayed 5 times. Hunter's co-defendent, Troy Taylor, 19, has already been sentenced to 35 years for his role in the killing.

A man has turned himself in for the second slaying in Howard CountyAnthony Patrick Parker, 53, has turned himself in after a warrant was issued for his part in a fight turned stabbing that left 46-year-old Phillip Wise dead.

ATF and state police arrest over 50 suspects, including 15 who were charged federally, as part of a large scale drug sweep. Among the names that pop out to me is that of Howard Drummond, 24. Drummond, as you may remember was charged alongside Joel Ugah, 25 back in 2008 for the murder of Sandy Howard and non-fatal shooting of two others. Both were acquitted of a all charges. Howard was sentenced to 10 years in state prison for various drug dealing charges, and Ugah, who was again charged with attempted murder for a 2010 incident, is currently facing drug and gun charges in the city and county.

This may be a hard sell to some... but a Baltimore methadone clinic wants to pay addicts in order to get them to come in at night and use methadone.

More trouble at Maryland colleges. This time it's at UMD, where police are releasing a video of a person of interest in the on-campus sexual assault of a female student.

A 14-year-old Anne Arundel girl was sexually assaulted, and police are ISO two suspects, including one who sort of looks like John Lennon.

A man in Trappe, MD has been arrested for possession of a handgun whenhis gun fell out of his jacket after he ran into a police officer.

Severn resident Peter Dembrowicz, 30, was found dead in a stream earlier, foul play is not suspected.

State police officially conclude that teacher Alice Davis was in fact murdered by her husband Jess Davis, 57.

New Jersey's Uzodimma Nnamdi Oguh, age 32, has been charged with human trafficking for running a prostitution ring throughout the east coast.

Two years in Federal prison for creeper attorney Patrick Joseph Redd, 33.

Finally, 10 years for 9-time convict Skky Townsend, 29. Townsend got his decade behind bars after being caught with crack and weapons in his Pocomoke home.

Obsessions, compulsions & Conaways

Say what you might about the horn-tooting of the rousing of rabble, it's deserved. Adam Meister helped roust tax cheat Belinda Conaway out of the 7th district by a skinny 648 votes ... by just being Adam and letting Belinda be Belinda with her redunkulous lawsuit. Said the loser, "I don't have any regrets-- none." Neither must her lawyer, who apparently ran up the clock on her before doing an iota of diligence.

Speaking of dumbassery, Baltimorean Matthew VanDyke, who either escaped or was freed from a Libyan prison after aggravating his OCD and losing every last ounce of body fat and with a girlfriend/fiancee waiting at home, decided to stay in Libya to reportedly join the Ali Hassan Juba Katiba rebels. A fine line between bravery, silliness, and Stockholm syndrome. Well don't say Dutch didn't try!

Sentencing in Viral Video Beating, Bondswoman Killed, and Even More

Teonna Monae Brown, age 19, whose leading role in the videotaped beating of transgender woman in a Rosedale McDonalds led to national outcry, has been sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Baltimore bondswoman Nichole Bernadette McNair, 42, was found shot to death in a running car in Columbia.

Two consecutive life sentences plus 20 years for 30-year-old Jermaine Johnson. Johnson, was convicted of the 2009 double homicide of Gerry Martin and Darvin Jones. Jones, who was 19 at the time of his death, was said to have committed two 2009 murders himself; that of Herbert Carsten Jr., age 17, and Wayne Robinson age 22.

Police officers involved in the fatal shooting of officer William H. Torbit Jr. have refused to testify before a panel investigating the fatal case of friendly fire.

More missing Baltimoreans, this time, it's 63-year-old Madeline Chavis, missing since Monday afternoon.

The woman accused in a grisly yoga shop murder will not seek an insanity defense. Attorneys for Brittany Norwood have missed the deadline to file such paperwork.

Basketball teacher busted for child sexual abuse. Tyrone Jordan, age 55, has been charged with molesting a 14-year-old boy, the second sexual misconduct related arrest in the last 15 years for him.

A cab driver was shot in the neck Saturday night in the parking lot of a Royal Farms store off of E Fayette St.

Two city high school students are in a heap of trouble for bringing a gun to school.

Police in Baltimore County release a "digital sketch" of a 2009 sexual assault suspect.

The body of a missing Baltimore man has been found in Liberty Reservoir in Carroll County. The body of Christopher Anthony White, 44 displayed no obvious signs of trauma.

Sunday morning sees two men shot in separate indents in the City. A 23-year old was shot in the 1700 block of Lexington St. and a 49-year-old man was shot in the 2800 block of Hilldale Ave.

Curtis Bay weed grower busted. Kwane Owusa Greenidge faces a variety of drug related charges.

Police are seeking help identifying a man who robbed a Baltimore County Giant.

Montgomery County seeks grant to help fight gang problem.

Guilty plea from mother of child beaten to death in Frederick. 21-year-old Jessica Denise Peavy will face only one year in jail when she is sentenced.

Kent County police are ISO a missing full gas tanker, that was stolen after someone cut through a fence and hot-wired a vehicle.

An unidentified body has been pulled from the Back River. No known cause of death has been given, but no obvious signs of injury have been found.

Like a modern day Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid, Two Washington County teens are on the run after stealing a van from a juvenile facility.

A man was shot to death in Landover. 21-year-old Aaron M. Jones, who was wanted for several charges including attempted murder at the time of his death, was found in the 8100 block of Manson St.

A Glen Burnie man is facing charges of attempted murder after stabbing a gas station clerk several times during an attempted murder. Joseph Earl Schrump, 22, whose face is a testament to why you don't mess with gas station attendants, was arrested in a nearby cemetery shortly after.

Police warn citizens to be weary of potential robbers on Craigslist. Bad intentions of Craigslist? Impossible...

15 years in the Federal clank for Catonsville bank robber Troy Antoine Boatwright, age 37.

Willie Ray Bryant is moving on up... from state to federal prison that is. 41-year-old Bryant plead guilty to sending a threatening letter to a Maryland judge.

Speaking of poorly planned crimes, we end this post with a look at 61-year-old James Anthony Welzenbach, who decided to rob the Talbot Bank of Tilghman located on Tilghman Island, an area home to around 800 residents. Shockingly, Welzenbach was quckly identified and arrested. He and subsequently plead guilty in Federal court, and now faces 25 years in the Federal pen.

Missing teenager

Police and family are ISO Kesley Ashwood, aka "Lil Woman"

Sad and weird

The case of murdered one-year-old Dalyire Damion McFadden just gets stranger. The mom locked up the house for the night, yet found her ear-biting, male-model babydad Hari Close III (left) somehow inexplicably in the house, then, went to bed with him, no questions asked, and in the morning left the one-year-old home alone...? weird weird weird. And how about that wacky misquote on Close's FB page:

"'I have learned that success is not measure by the position one has reached in life; but rather by the obstacles which he or she is striving to achieve.' - Booker T. Washington"

Phylicia Barnes update

The lawyer for the boyfriend of Felicia Barnes' sister has some interesting things to say about the investigation.

Murder Arrests, Disbarments, and so Much More...

Police have arrested a man in the stabbing death of Baltimore DPW worker David McClaughlin Jr. Terrence Fitzhugh faces charges of first and second degree murder.

Veteran attorney Stanley Needleman has plead guilty to tax evasion.Needleman, whose office was raided back in April, has agreed to disbarment and will pay over $1 million in fines.

Police investigate a double shooting in the 3300 block of Belle Ave.

Guilty plea in December 2010 stabbing death of a Severn pizza delivery man. Darrius Lynne Bullock, 19 faces 10-21 years for the for the fatal stabbing of Ghulam Farooq.

A guilty plea from Maximilian Hopkins Bode, 21, the driver of a snow plow that struck and killed a renowned former JHU fencing coach.

County police are investigating the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Tyran Smoot (Picture Right)

Police make a quick arrest in the first killing in Annapolis this year. Clifton William Tutt, 55, has been charged with the shooting death of 19-year-old Teon Wallace. Wallace, who in June beat charges of attempted murder, was wanted by police for Armed robbery charges at the time of his death. Of course his killer was no saint either having a criminal record dating back to at least 1990 including a 3 year prison term for a conviction related to an arrest for Attempted Murder.

Bonrick Lee Barksdale, the suspect in a North Carolina kidnapping and attempted rape was captured recently after escaping from an Annapolis courtroom.

20 years in prison for multi-time sex offender and newly convicted rapist James Mason III, age 30.

Arrest in a non-fatal stabbing in Howard County. 23-year-old Christopher Thomas Hecker has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing Brian Black Jr., 29.

The parents of a 14-year-old girl struck by a car, are pleading for the driver to turn themselves in.

Pennsylvania police have arrested Vincent Lloyd Minto, 41, wanted in Montgomery County for the 2009 murder of Clarence Rankine.

31-year-old Carroll County resident Zachary Scott Shanaberger has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. As part of his plea deal, Shanaberger admitted his role in bank robberies in Delaware, Georgia, and North Carolina.

The husband of a Wicomico County teacher was found dead in his home Wednesday. Jesse Davis, 58, was the main suspect in the disappearance of his wife, a 28 year veteran teacher at Parkside High School.

A Chevy Chase scientist has been convicted of espionage. Stewart D. Nozette, 54, who was caught on tape selling goverment secrets to what he thought was an Israeli intelligence officer will be sentenced to 13 years in prison.

10 years in Federal prison for Latin Kings #2 man Remy "King Remy" Heath. The 26-year-old gang leader plead guilty to racketeering charges back in November of 2010.

Also being sentenced to Federal prison time is 24-year-old Christopher Jackson. Jackson, exiled for being a felon in possession of a gun, was sentenced to 10 years in prison as well.

Finally, 5 very well deserved years at Club Fed for child pornography advertiser Michael Moskal, age 45.

In Non-Maryland news:

Former New Mexico Governer Bill Richardson made a surprise visit to Cuba in the hopes of securing the release of Marylander Alan Gross, who was serving a 15 year prison sentence in Cuba.

An appeal to be released from jail to Aruban authorities by Gary Giordano has been denied.

Virginia police obtain a warrent for Johnny D. Guillen Pimentel, 40, AKA the serial butt-slasher. Pimentel, who is still at large, is believed to be responsible for a series of attacks against Virginia area women earlier this year.

Many, many apologies for my extended absence from updating. A major change in schedule, a series of internet disabling events, and my own crippling lazyness have contributed to my time away. Again, my apologies, and i look forward to continuing to bring you the crime news of Baltimore, and beyond. -TAB

Here we go again

A date has been set for the third trial of Policarpio Espinoza Perez and Adan Espinoza Canela. Their previous conviction for murdering three children back in 2004 was thrown out on appeal this summer.