Alleged Killer Lingered Near Crime Scene After Fatal Shooting, Detective Testifies

By Andrew Michaels - August 18, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

A Baltimore Police detective walked back and forth before a jury on Aug. 18, holding for display a semi-automatic Glock handgun with a brown handle—a weapon that was allegedly used in the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Jacob Coates more than two years ago. This was the weapon the detective said he saw sticking out of Vincent Harris’ waistband when the defendant allegedly offered to sell drugs to the plain-clothed detective sitting in an unmarked car a half a block away from the active crime scene.

The detective was among several witnesses to testify in Harris’ jury trial on Thursday before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Schiffer. The Columbia resident was one out of three suspects, including Marlow Moore and Daiquan Anderson, in the killing that happened along the 3800 block of Potee Street on July 29, 2020.

Police previously reported that Coates and his wife were searching for her cell phone outside the residential building before the shooting.

Sitting at the witness stand in a chilly courtroom, the detective recalled his interaction with Harris on a hot summer’s night after the former left the crime scene to buy Gatorades for his fellow officers at a Royal Farms visible from down the street. The detective, who specified that he was in plain clothes driving an unmarked Chevy Malibu, said he began pulling out of the gas station parking lot when he drove up to three men, two of whom he recognized.

He explained that he saw two of the men lingering earlier just beyond the police tape that was set up outside the building where the shooting occurred. One of the men—later identified as Harris—was wearing a multicolored sweatshirt, he said, and both of them “brushed me off” when the detective approached them at the scene.

At Royal Farms, Harris, who was now shirtless, walked over to the detective’s front passenger window and offered to sell him drugs. The detective said he told Harris, “No, I’m good,” before driving back to the crime scene and alerting other officers.

Police apprehended Harris, Moore, and Anderson at Family Dollar next-door to Royal Farms and took them to police headquarters to be interviewed.

When Harris’ defense attorney, Josh Insley, questioned the witness on the difference between an unmarked police vehicle and an undercover police vehicle, the detective said there were no differences but that unmarked police vehicles are not equipped with any identifiers or equipment that are found outside and inside a marked police vehicle.

Earlier during Thursday’s proceedings, two forensic scientists from the police department testified about the evidence that was submitted for analysis, which included the handgun, a pair of white Nike sneakers, and a tank top in addition to Coates’ blood and oral swabs from all three suspects.

According to the Maryland Judiciary website, Anderson accepted a guilty plea of 20 years, suspending all but 15 years, and five years of supervised probation for first-degree assault in March.

Marlow, who is also facing assault charges, is scheduled for trial on Dec. 19.

Testimony continued Thursday afternoon.