20 Year Old Accused of Shooting Friend Rejects Plea Offer

By Caroline Myers [former] - October 12, 2021
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Suspects |

A 20-year-old man accused of shooting his friend rejected a plea offer and had a trial date set during reception court on Oct. 12 at Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Eliot Holcomb is charged with attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first and second-degree assault, felony use of a firearm in a violent crime, conspiracy to commit felony use of a firearm in a violent crime, possession of a firearm as a minor, two counts of having a handgun in a vehicle, reckless endangerment, and discharging firearms.  

On Tuesday, the prosecution offered Holcomb a plea deal for 40 years, suspending all but 18 years with the first five years without the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder and firearm use in the commission of a crime. Holcomb would also have to stay away from the victim and register as a gun offender.

Holcomb and his defense attorney, Gil Amaral, rejected the offer. A trial date was set for Nov. 17.

At Holcomb’s bail review hearing on Oct. 8, Amaral told the judge that there was another individual who was identified as the shooter in this incident, but Baltimore Police Department officers failed to locate that suspect for questioning. 

Holcomb was denied bail despite his parents’ insistence to detectives that he was in their house at the time of the shooting and, therefore, could not have been the perpetrator.

Amaral said Holcomb has no prior criminal record, has a strong family support system, and did well in school.