At Trial, Teen Pleads Guilty to Fatally Shooting 16-Year-Old, Injuring Man

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A day after his jury trial began, homicide defendant Paul Ray IV pleaded guilty for the killing of 16-year-old Bryson Hudson and shooting of another man last year.

On Oct. 10, the trial continued before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Alan C. Lazerow, but concluded mid-morning when the 18-year-old defendant opted to plead guilty to first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony or violent crime, first-degree assault and carjacking.

According to the Maryland Judiciary website, the prosecution dismissed the conspiracy charges for first-degree murder and firearm use in a felony or violent crime as well as reckless endangerment and an additional charge of firearm use in a felony or violent crime.

Under the terms of the plea, Ray will serve life, suspending all but 50 years. His sentencing is currently scheduled for Jan. 29, 2025.

Ray was represented by defense attorney Lawrence Rosenberg at trial, where Mayor Brandon M. Scott served as an alternate on the jury prior to the guilty plea.

“At just 17 years old, this individual chose to steal a man’s car at gunpoint and then proceeded to drive it to a public business to shoot people, tragically resulting in the death of Mr. Hudson,” Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates said in a press release Thursday afternoon. “These reprehensible actions demand swift and significant punishment.”

The shooting occurred on Aug. 14, 2023, outside A Plus Grocery and Deli on the 900 block of North Broadway. Baltimore Police recovered video footage that showed a white Nissan Maxima slowing down in front of the store before its occupants opened fire on the storefront. Police later learned the vehicle had been reported stolen during a carjacking about three-and-a-half hours earlier on the 5500 block of Bowley’s Lane.

Police also recovered 23 shell casings from three weapons.

After further investigation, police learned that Ray had contacted someone from jail and asked the inidivudal to talk with another person about getting something from their house and holding on to it. After police receivedlikely a search warrant for the individual’s home in September 2023, they recovered Ray’s alleged gun with his DNA likely on the weapon.

This marks the second murder trial-turned-plea this week following 25-year-old Tanare Williams’ decision to plead guilty on Oct. 9 for the death of 31-year-old Antoine Johnson earlier this year.

Williams, who was represented by attorney John Cox, was sentenced to 40 years, suspending all but 10 years for second-degree murder and a consecutive 20 years, suspending all but five years, for firearm use in a felony or violent crime. He will also serve five years of supervised probation.