A Baltimore man accused of fatally shooting 27-year-old Taijah Addison in March appeared before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Williams G. Berry on Oct. 24 for a hearing on the scientific evidence against him.
Matthew Crawley, 27, is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in felony violent crime, and possession of a firearm with a disqualifying felony conviction. The charges stem from the March 6, 2025, shooting on the 700 block of Yale Avenue.
During the hearing a medical examiner testified that Addison suffered three gunshot wounds — one to the left side of his mouth, another to his neck, and a third to his chest. The examiner said “all three injuries would have been rapidly fatal.”
During cross-examination, defense attorney John Deros questioned the medical examiner about the time and setting of the autopsy, whether any detectives were present, and whether it was recorded. The examiner said the procedure took place early in the morning with the assistance of a colleague, but was not recorded due to legal restrictions.
A crime lab technician told the court that investigators recovered three 9mm cartridge casings from the scene and later found a firearm in a dumpster on the 500 block of Yale Avenue. The firearm, which had an extended magazine, had no serial number or identifying markings.
Deros asked whether fingerprints were lifted from the firearm at the scene and whether any officers were present when the weapon was recovered. The technician said detectives were nearby and that the weapon was photographed before being collected, but fingerprints were not taken at that time.
Investigators processed a vehicle linked to the investigation and recovered a cigarette butt, blood, and suspected DNA samples. Deros suggested that the cigarette butt could have been a cigar or a blunt and raised the possibility that DNA and fingerprints found in the vehicle could have been transferred.
Officers canvassed the area around the incident location for potential witnesses and obtained surveillance footage from nearby homes.
Throughout the hearing, the prosecution worked to establish a clear chain of custody for the recovered items, while the defense questioned the reliability of the evidence and potential contamination.
Testimony will continue before Judge Williams on Oct 27.
