Defendant Set for September Trial in Twice-Remanded 2012 Murder Case

By Andrew Michaels - March 29, 2023
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

An accused drug dealer charged with the murder of Warren Boone more than a decade ago will proceed with a retrial this September following multiple appeals since 2017.

Ronald Cornish, 36, was initially found guilty of Boone’s murder in November 2016 and sentenced to life plus 30 years for first-degree murder and two weapons charges. Cornish, who defense attorney Brandon Thornton represents, had his case appealed and reversed twice, once in 2018 and again in 2022.

On March 28, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn scheduled Cornish’s trial for five days, beginning Sept. 27.

According to an unreported opinion from the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, Boone was a drug dealer who met up with two men, including Cornish, on the night of Nov. 7, 2012, to purchase marijuana from the defendant on the 5100 block of Goodnow Road.

Shortly after arriving, the third man—who was dating the defendant’s sister—got out of the vehicle while Boone and Cornish remained inside. The man later testified that he heard the two men struggling inside the vehicle, followed by two gunshots.

The man previously testified that he helped move Boone’s body at the request of Cornish, who then took money out of Boone’s pockets and later set the victim’s vehicle on fire.