A Baltimore man has been convicted in connection with the March 2024 kidnapping and fatal shooting of a 47-year-old grandfather whose body was discovered outside an Annapolis middle school, according to local authorities. A jury found 37-year-old Marquis Mayo guilty of felony first-degree murder, kidnapping, and use of a firearm during a violent crime in the killing of David Lewis Winchester Jr., as reported by WBFF.
The case began unfolding on March 28, 2024, when officers with the Annapolis Police Department responded to 935 Spa Road after receiving reports of a suspicious death. Investigators located Winchester lying face down in a wooded area near the track and field at Wiley H. Bates Middle School. Authorities confirmed that Winchester died from gunshot wounds to the back of the head.
The Investigation and Evidence Timeline
Detectives canvassed the neighborhood near the school, speaking with a resident who reported hearing what sounded like two gunshots between 1:30 a.m. and 3 a.m. Investigators then reviewed license plate reader footage that captured a blue Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross traveling on West Street around 1:45 a.m. before driving out of Annapolis just after 2 a.m.
Security camera footage from the school’s athletic field parking lot recorded a vehicle’s headlights alongside two flashes of light. Detectives stated that this visual evidence aligned closely with the estimated timeline and the nature of Winchester’s injuries.
Baltimore police shared critical details regarding the initial abduction, noting that Winchester’s mother was awakened by a knock at her door by a suspect claiming her son was being held hostage in a vehicle outside. When she attempted to close the door upon seeing a handgun, two men forced their way inside.
According to police accounts, the victim’s daughter observed a man pointing a handgun at her mother and demanding money, while a second suspect stood nearby holding a rifle. The daughter fled toward her mother’s bedroom, and one of the intruders fired two shots through the door during a forced entry attempt, though no one sustained physical injuries.
Arrests and Legal Proceedings
The two men fled the residence empty-handed, escaping in a blue vehicle with Winchester trapped inside. Detectives subsequently identified the registered owner of the car as Monae Fincher of Baltimore. Police noted she was the ex-wife of Jamar Fincher, an individual recently released from prison, and a witness eventually pointed investigators toward Mayo’s involvement. All three suspects faced criminal charges in connection with the sequence of events.
“Today’s guilty verdict marks the third individual held accountable in the death of David Winchester Jr.,” Leitess said, while crediting the investigative efforts led by Detective Courtney Moore alongside the Annapolis Police Department, Baltimore Police Department, and the FBI.
Leitess added, “David Winchester’s family was victimized twice – during the home invasion and senseless murder of their son, who was kidnapped in Baltimore, stuffed in a trunk and killed in a wooded area near a school. I am grateful that we were able to bring justice for them today.”
Next Steps and Judicial Schedule
Following the jury’s decision, Judge Cathleen Vitale scheduled Marquis Mayo’s sentencing hearing for Dec. 30.
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