HOMICIDE: The Charles County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Marsellis Laron Ledwell, 23, of Waldorf,
pictured at left, for the murder of Torris Powell, Jr., 41, of Waldorf which occurred on Jan. 20.
The investigation began on Jan. 21 about noon, when officers from the Prince George’s County Police Department and Emergency Medical Services personnel responded to the 13200 block of Old Marlboro Pike in Upper Marlboro for the report of an injured person. Upon arrival, police and EMS found Powell deceased in the passenger seat of a vehicle.
The PGPD’s initial investigation revealed Powell had been in a fight in Waldorf the evening of Jan. 20. Detectives there contacted the CCSO, whose detectives began investigating the assault pending the results of an autopsy being conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). The OCME determined Powell had died as a result of blunt force trauma and the manner was ruled homicide.
The CCSO obtained a warrant for Ledwell and on Jan. 25, Ledwell turned himself in at the CCSO. He was charged with second-degree murder and first- and second-degree assault and is being held at the Charles County Detention Center without bond.
Det. G. Higgs investigated.
TRAFFIC FATALITY: On Jan. 26 at 2:26 a.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to the 2300 block of Ironwood Drive in Waldorf for the reported motor vehicle crash. Upon arrival, officers discovered the driver of the vehicle was deceased. The driver was identified as Kenneth Fitzgerald Kelley, 47, of Forest Heights, Md.
Traffic Operations Unit investigators responded and determined Kelley was traveling north in a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu on Middletown Road, approaching the intersection of Route 228. He failed to stop at the intersection and after crossing Route 228 onto Ironwood Drive, his vehicle struck a tree in the front yard of a residence.
Kelley was the only occupant of the vehicle. The cause of the crash is being investigated.
PFC W. Saunders of the Traffic Operations Unit is investigating.
ARMED ROBBERY: On Jan. 25 at 9:34 p.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to the parking lot of the Macy’s located at 11200 Mall Circle in Waldorf for the reported armed robbery. The investigation revealed three male suspects confronted the victim, a Chicago man, and demanded money. A struggle ensued during which one of the suspects brandished a handgun. The victim then complied with the suspects, who then fled the scene with stolen money and property. The victim was treated at Southern Maryland Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The suspects were described only as black males. One was wearing glasses and one was wearing a white T-shirt and had the gun. They were traveling in a tan older-model Buick. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 301-932-7777 or Charles County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS. Crime Solvers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest or indictment. PFC J. Feldman is investigating.
BURGLARY/THEFT: Sometime between 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Jan. 25, suspect(s) forced entry into a residence in the 1900 block of Thomas Road in Bryans Road and stole electronics and jewelry. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 301-932-7777 or Charles County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS. Crime Solvers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest or indictment. Officer E. Stone is investigating.
BURGLARY/THEFT: On Jan. 24 at 2:11 p.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to the 800 block of Kenyon Ave. in Waldorf after a citizen reported observing a suspicious vehicle at a vacant residence. The vehicle fled before officers arrived. Officers inspected the residence and discovered a rear sliding glass door was unsecured and a side door window was shattered. Further inspection revealed an air conditioning unit had been dismantled and the copper and coils had been stolen. Officers entered the residence and discovered copper piping connected to a water heater had also been stolen. Officers are unable to determine when the theft occurred. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 301-932-7777 or Charles County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS. Crime Solvers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest or indictment. PFC K. Goddard is investigating.
FUGITIVE ARREST: The Charles County Sheriff’s Office arrested Keyan William Mitchell, 22, of Waldorf,
pictured at left, on Jan. 24 at 1:30 p.m. Mitchell had been wanted since Jan. 15 for robbery, three counts of second-degree assault, theft valued at less than $1,000, and credit card theft.
The charges are the result of an investigation that began on April 13, 2011 at 11:20 p.m. Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to the 2000 block of Amberleaf Place in Waldorf for the reported robbery. A group of male suspects approached two male victims and a female victim in the parking lot. The suspects beat the two male victims, pushed the female victim and stole her purse, which contained her cell phone, a digital camera and her wallet containing cash and credit cards.
On April 14 at 2:45 a.m., just a few hours after the robbery, patrol officers responding to a call for disorderly conduct in the 3000 block of Heathcote Road encountered Melvin Wayne Moton, 24, of La Plata, Terrence Andrew Dyson, Jr., 19, of Pomfret and Delandre Bernard Rosier, 26, of Indian Head. The officers discovered Moton was wanted for an unrelated incident and placed him under arrest. They also discovered he, Dyson and Rosier were in possession of evidence from the Amberleaf Place robbery. Moton, Dyson and Rosier were subsequently charged with robbery and transported to the Charles County Detention Center.
As the investigation progressed, detectives in the Major Crimes Unit identified Keyan Mitchell as another suspect involved in the robbery. The detectives obtained a warrant for Mitchell’s arrest but they were unable to immediately locate him. On Jan. 24 at 1:30 p.m., after receiving information regarding his possible whereabouts, detectives found Mitchell at the McDonald’s located at 3300 Leonardtown Road.
Det. P. Tona investigated the robbery.
ASSAULT: On Jan. 23 at 5:43 p.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to the Park and Ride located at 1125 Smallwood Drive West in Waldorf for an attempted strong-arm robbery. The victim, an 18-year-old Waldorf man, was walking to the bus stop when two suspects approached him and asked him for money. After the victim did not respond, the suspects demanded his bus pass and money. The victim did not respond and the suspects beat him and fled the scene. The victim was treated at Civista Medical Center for non-life-threatening injuries. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Charles County Sheriff’s Office at 301-932-7777 or Charles County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS. Officer J. Kelly is investigating.