Dominic Xavier Daniel, 26 of Waldorf, Md. 2017 arrest photo.LA PLATA, Md. (February 27, 2019)—Tony Covington, State's Attorney for Charles County, announced that on February 25, 2019, Dominic Xavier Daniel, 26 of Waldorf, entered a guilty plea in Charles County Circuit Court, in front of the Honorable Judge Amy J. Bragunier, to the First-Degree Murder of Samuel Gemeny, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime of Violence in relation to the murder of Samuel Gemeny, and the First-Degree Assault of Allison Hofmann.
On May 16, 2017, officers responded to an apartment complex located in the 3400 block of Promenade Place in Waldorf for the report of a home invasion and shooting. Upon arrival, officers found victim Gemeny suffering with a gunshot wound to the neck. Officers also made contact with victim Hofmann, who was suffering with non-life-threatening injuries. Gemeny, unfortunately, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
An investigation revealed that during the evening hours of May 16, 2017, the victims were inside of their apartment when Hofmann heard knocking at the front door. Hofmann looked through the peephole of the door but did not see anyone outside of the apartment. In an effort to see if someone had knocked and walked away, she opened the front door. At that time, Daniel, as well as two of his co-defendants, forced entry into the apartment. None of the suspects concealed their faces and Hofmann immediately recognized two of the suspects, including Daniel, as acquaintances of her and Gemeny.
Daniel, who briefly lived at the apartment prior to the incident, yielded a gun and pointed it directly at Hoffman. He began demanding to know where a mattress was that he had while living in the apartment, as well as the whereabouts of Gemeny. The other two suspects demanded money. Gemeny, who was previously in the master bedroom, approached the suspects undetected and hit Daniel in the back of the head with an iPad. Daniel then turned toward Gemeny and shot him at close range. The suspects then fled the area.
During the incident, Hofmann was grabbed by her throat and slammed into a counter, which caused injury to her back.
During the course of the investigation, Daniel admitted to being one of the suspects and shooting Gemeny. He was also identified by accomplice testimony.
Sentencing is set for May 13, 2019 before Charles County Circuit Court Judge Amy J. Bragunier.