Nanjemoy Man Who Murdered Neighbor Sentenced to 64 Years in Prison

LA PLATA, Md. (October 26, 2018)—Tony Covington, State's Attorney for Charles County, announced that on Thursday, October 25, 2018, Charles County Circuit Court Judge H. James West sentenced Marcus Darnell Johnson, 34 of Nanjemoy, to 64 Years for the Second-Degree Murder of Wayne Proctor, Jr. and 6 counts of reckless endangerment.

Covington, commenting on the case, said, "I've been dealing with criminal law for close to 30 years. The killing of Wayne Proctor has got to be one of the most senseless, incomprehensible takings of life I can remember. All you can do is shake your head in disbelief, feel for his family, and thank the Court for imposing a sentence that keeps this defendant behind bars for decades."

On Tuesday, August 14, 2018, a Charles County jury, after a 7-day trial, convicted Johnson of the above listed charges.

On December 23, 2017, officers responded to the 8300 block of Bowie Road in Nanjemoy for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers discovered victim Wayne Proctor, Jr. lying unconscious on the floor, suffering from gunshot wounds to his chest and abdomen. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

An investigation revealed that prior to the shooting, Johnson and the victim, who were neighbors, engaged in a heated argument while standing outside of Proctor's residence. The argument was related to a thirty-dollar debt the victim owed the defendant. Proctor's wife and children were also present during the argument. At some point, Johnson brandished a handgun which prompted Proctor, his wife, and children to walk inside their residence and close the door. As Proctor was closing the door, Johnson fired multiple bullets at Proctor. Proctor was struck multiple times. Two of the bullets entered his chest and pierced his heart resulting in Proctor's death. Johnson fled the scene but was apprehended by officers shortly thereafter.

During sentencing, Assistant State's Attorney Sarah Freeman told the judge, "the defendant's response [to this petty argument] was to pull out a firearm and start firing with the victim's children and wife standing there with the victim.—[Proctor's family] came up and told you that Wayne Proctor was the glue to their family. He wasn't just a man, but a family man. He was a father. Not only did his children have to witness this killing—including watching their father's death throes—they'll have to live their entire lives fatherless. Johnson must be punished for taking [the victim's] life."

Before sentencing Johnson, Judge West said, "…a man, that is an active family man with five children, extended family, and contacts beyond what the eye can see in this courtroom, is basically in his home and gunned down in front of children, and his children will forever walk with that memory. It's just really unacceptable.—If you gun down someone in front of their little children, that is way over the line of any crime I can think of."

Total Sentence

Count 3—Second Degree Murder—40 years DOC

Count 5—Reckless Endangerment—3 years DOC

Count 6—Reckless Endangerment—4 years DOC

Count 7—Reckless Endangerment—4 years DOC

Count 8—Reckless Endangerment—4 years DOC

Count 9—Reckless Endangerment—5 years DOC

Count 10—Reckless Endangerment—4 years DOC

All sentences run consecutive to each other bringing the total active sentence to 64 years.