Proceedings resumed on Nov. 24 in the trial of 26-year-old Owings Mills man Gregory Jones, who is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and multiple firearm offenses in connection to the March 12, 2022 killing of 39-year-old Olen Smith near Mo’s Seafood in Baltimore’s Little Italy neighborhood.
The defense continued its cross-examination of the main detective, who testified that investigators used Baltimore CitiWatch cameras along President Street to track a white vehicle believed to be involved in the shooting. According to the detective, the car appeared in footage at 12:53 a.m. the morning of the incident and was later seen traveling northbound at 1:16 a.m., remaining on a continuous path toward the 800 block of Stiles Street.
The detective told jurors that based on the surveillance, Jones two others “pulled up and shot him and left.”
Defense attorney Avrohom Greenfield questioned why investigators did not obtain a search warrant for the victim’s phone. The detective testified that there was no investigative need because nothing from the victim’s device would have contributed to the case. However, he said detectives did secure a phone dump from a second individual who was shot shortly after the incident, stating they had probable cause to believe she was involved in setting up the victim.
The detective also said Jones spent six to seven hours at Mo’s Seafood prior to the shooting. Greenfield pointed to footage showing the white vehicle driving calmly, arguing it did not appear to be heading to commit a murder. The detective responded, “If I had a couple guns in the car, I would drive normal too,” adding that three people were involved in the shooting.
Jurors also heard testimony about a firearm recovered days after the murder. The detective said a man reported finding a gun in an alley near his home the day after the incident. Surveillance showed individuals running into that alley and discarding a weapon, which was later collected by police about 11 days after the shooting. The man attempting to preserve the gun accidentally shot himself in the hand.
When questioned about why no DNA testing was performed, the detective explained that the firearm was heavily contaminated by the man’s self-inflicted wound, making DNA analysis unreliable. The defense argued multiple DNA profiles could still have been tested, but the detective said the amount of blood made that impossible.
The detective also acknowledged that investigators reviewed jail calls where the shooting was discussed, though he said he did not personally recall every call and had relied on summaries. Greenfield argued that much of the detective’s testimony amounted to “speculation” about what was believed to have happened.
The defense then called its own witness, a certified digital forensic analyst. The analyst, who is certified in CellHawk call record analysis and has worked on about 20 cases over two years, testified that he has only been certified for a few months.
Court adjourned after his testimony, with jurors instructed to return the following day for jury instructions, closing arguments, and deliberations.
