An arrest has been made in a Thanksgiving morning slaying that was featured as a “Cold Case” in The Washington Examiner last month.
Christopher Mader, a 23-year-old bartender at Bennigan’s Grill and Tavern in Waldorf, died instantly when he was shot while driving into his Hampshire neighborhood around 3 a.m. on Nov. 25, 2004.
Charles County Sheriff Rex Coffey said Mader was the “epitome of a victim” because he was just driving home from work and did nothing to involve himself in the situation, which police now believe was an attempted robbery.
Coffey said an anonymous call in 2007 led investigators to suspect Matthew Derek Correll, of King George, Va. But recent information led them to more substantial evidence.
“We just didn’t possess enough probable cause to charge him,” Coffey said. “We felt confident we had the right person.”
Charges against Correll, 29, include first-degree murder and attempted robbery.
Correll was denied bond Thursday because the grand jury thought he was a flight risk because of his “extensive record,” Coffey said, adding that his history included pleading guilty to distributing heroin.
Mader’s family celebrated has not celebrated Thanksgiving since his death, but Coffey said after they learned of Correll’s arrest, they told him they thought they may resume celebrating the holiday.
“After six years, it would be hard to be optimistic that the case would come to justice eventually, but I think they’re very excited about [the arrest],” he said.
Charles County offered a record of $60,000 in reward money for information that would help investigators solve the case. Correll said that high amount was offered because there were so few leads.
“We just hope we can go the next step and get him convicted and get it all wrapped up,” Coffey said.
