16-year-old charged in murders of young brother and sister in Gwynn Oak, Maryland home
A 16-year-old boy is now facing first-degree murder charges in the shooting deaths of a young brother and sister in Gwynn Oak, Maryland earlier this month.
Baltimore County Police arrested Keith James Jr. of Baltimore Wednesday in connection with the murders of 9-year-old Steve Allen and his 15-year-old sister Giovanna Myrie. Their parents found them shot to death in their home on Talles Road July 7.
James will be charged as an adult. At a news conference Wednesday, Police Chief Robert McCullough said the teen knew both victims and that James had some kind of relationship with Myrie. It's still unclear if it was a friendship or romantic.
"All I can say is we do know that he had been at the home before, maybe even several days prior, that we can confirm at least on, to our knowledge, on July 4th," McCullough told reporters.
Investigators said James was also seen in the area on the night of the murders, July 7.
"He was on camera in several ways throughout the community. He had been in the area prior to the crime and, of course, he was in the area after the crime," the chief said.
According to charging documents, a close friend of Myrie's told police that Myrie had been talking to a boy named Keith for several weeks and they met for the first time at her home on July 4. During that meeting, the friend told police that she had a video call with the pair and could see Keith holding a gun.
The friend also told police that Keith had threatened to kill Myrie if she ever cheated on him. Police said they found a text message confirming Myrie said that.
Myrie also told her friend that Keith was coming over again on July 7, the date of the murders.
Police said they don't yet know how James got the gun he allegedly used in the murders.
"It's troubling when you consider how horrific this crime was carried out. It was terrible," McCullough said. "When you reflect on the fact that the child just turned 16, he carried out this crime, and did it in the manner that he did, it's troubling."
James is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center without bail.
"We followed the evidence, we utilized all of the technology that we had available to us," McCullough said. "We utilized everything we had that led us to this suspect."
"I would like to say how sad a day like today is," Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klaumeier said. "Please keep the families in your prayers. I am pleased that the police department did such a great, quick job on this part of the situation."
"I am just taken back by the fact that young people, at the age of 16 years old, would not only have access to a gun but have the propensity to actually murder someone, murder two people," Baltimore City Councilmember Julian Jones said.
