On Oct. 27 a jury was unable to reach a complete verdict for William Stewart III, 27, in a homicide proceeding before Baltimore City Circuit Judge Dana Middleton.
Of the 33 charges jurors hung up on nine including; two counts of first degree murder, two counts of second degree murder, conspiracy to commit first degree murder, two counts of first degree assault, two counts of firearm use in the commission of a crime of violence.
The 24 other counts–conspiracy, second degree assault, reckless endangerment–six counts–having a handgun on persn, minor in possession of a firearm, armed carjacking, armed robbery, carjacking robbery, first-degree assault, second degree assault, firearm used in the commission of a crime of violence, handgun on person, minor in possession of a firearm, and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle–were dismissed. .
Stewart was charged with with co-defendants Diamante Teal, 29 and Philip Morton, 29.
In the first incident, Stewart allegedly shot and killed Manuel Luis, 19, during an attempted robbery in his vehicle parked on the 4700 block of Loch Raven Boulevard. Luis was shot six times in his vehicle. Investigators recovered six .40-caliber shell casings consistent with bullets found at the second shooting. Surveillance footage presented by the prosecution did not reveal any identifying features of the shooter.
In the second incident, Stewart and his alleged co-conspirators reportedly opened fire inside a Subway sandwich shop on July 11, 2019 on the 5600 block of the Alameda in Glen Oaks, killing Travis Chance, 16. More than 20 shots were reportedly fired, also striking two women, one in the leg and the other in the ear.
According to Stewart’s testimony, on Oct. 23, he’s known Morton and Teal for 11 and 12 years, respectively, and that the friendship has always been rocky and the only reason he continued to associate with them is because they were a good laugh.
Stewart says that he was hanging out with the pair prior to the incident, but left and walked home after noticing someone within their group “acting strange” then at 6:45 p.m.
In court the same day, the prosecution asked if he wasn’t in the car at the time of the incident how he was able to provide statements about what happened at an Exxon gas station. Stewart responds with “people talk.”
Defense Attorney Deborah Warner-Dennis, argued that no DNA evidence, eyewitness testimony, expert testimony, or surveillance footage properly linked Stewart to the crimes.
The nine remaining charges t will be retried, Stewart is set to appear in reception court Nov. 13, to receive a new trial date.
