With the help of a witness and a tattoo, Howard County police quickly closed an Elkridge homicide Wednesday night only hours after the killing occurred.
“Sometimes pieces of the puzzle fall together more quickly than others,” said Howard County police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn. “There was excellent work done in this case not only by our detectives, but also by our patrol units. We?re very pleased with the quick arrest.”
Howard County police have made arrests in three of the county?s four homicides this year.
The county?s latest homicide occurred at around 6 p.m. Wednesday at the 7600 block of Route 1 where the Copper Stallion Motel is located.
Officers found the victim, Marvin Walter Harding, 39, of Jessup, on the sidewalk near the motel suffering from “multiple stab wounds.”
He was transported to Howard County General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Detectives who arrived on the scene learned that a Hispanic male by the name of “Dre” was responsible for Harding?s death, police said.
A witness identified Adrian Maldonado, 22, of Savage, as “Dre” by picking him out of a photographic array.
Investigators say Harding and Maldonado, who knew one another, got into a physical altercation that led to the stabbing.
Police say there is no indication that the homicide is gang-related.
Maldonado was arrested by a patrol officer after being spotted walking in the area of Route 1 and Guilford Road.
He is charged with first-degree murder.
In their charging documents, police pointed out a key piece of evidence: On Maldonado?s right hand is a tattoo that reads “DRE.”
