Fourth Co-Defendant Accused of Pulling the Trigger in Fells Point Shooting

By Andrew Michaels - February 14, 2023
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

The attempted murder trial of Ronald Maranto has only just begun, but counsel was already at odds over who fired the gun in the Fells Point shooting involving the defendant and his three co-defendants.

Maranto, 32, is the fourth co-defendant to be tried with attempted murder and several weapons charges over the past month before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Christopher Panos. Joel Duncan and Nathan Presberry, both 26, were both found guilty of similar charges in January, followed by a not guilty verdict for 27-year-old Luciano Bruno on Feb. 9.

“This case, unfortunately, involves anything but love,” the prosecutor told the jurors as the trial began on Valentine’s Day.

The incident occurred on Jan. 15, 2022, around 1 a.m. when Duncan and Bruno were at The Admiral’s Cup restaurant and bar and got into a fight with the alleged victims. The two were escorted out of the bar and called Presberry and Maranto, both of whom picked them up in a Toyota RAV4.

The four co-defendants then drove around Fells Point and pull into a parking spot, eventually pulling back out of the spot and backing into it. They wanted to continue the fight that started at The Admiral’s Cup, the prosecutor continued, and “finish it.”

Soon after, video surveillance footage will show the vehicle pull out of the parking spot and muzzle flashes coming from the front passenger’s seat where Maranto was sitting.

Maranto is seen tumbling out of the vehicle and running away, leaving his wallet at the crime scene.

“When you hear it for the first time out loud, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever,” said defense attorney Jason Rodriguez regarding the prosecution’s opening statement.

Rodriguez went on to say that his client “committed absolutely no crime” and the charges were “bogus.”

In his belief, the defense attorney concluded there is no evidence linking Maranto to the shooting.

“He gets the heck up out of the car,” Rodriguez explained. “He literally jumps out of the car and runs away because he had absolutely nothing to do with this.”

The prosecution kicked off testimony with its first witness, with the trial expected to continue on Feb. 15.