A Baltimore City jury heard closing arguments June 12 in the retrial of Sean Karim Lloyd , 33, who is charged in the fatal shooting of Troy Kavanaugh, 37.
After the prosecution rested they added a second-degree murder charge before the case was sent back to jurors.
Lloyd is now being charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and three gun violations in the fatal shooting of Kavanaugh on Feb 2, 2025. Officers responded to the 2500 block of E. Biddle Street, where they found Kavanaugh suffering from gunshot wounds while sitting in his black 2015 Nissan Altima. Medics then transported him to John Hopkins Hospital, where he later died.
A medical examiner testified that Kavanaugh died from multiple gunshot wounds and ruled the manner of death a homicide.
Defense attorney Christopher Purpura motioned for acquittal on all charges because he said the prosecution failed to meet its burden of proof. Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Alan C. Lazerow denied the motion after finding that there was sufficient legal evidence for all charges to be considered by the jury.
The prosecutor argued that testimonies presented during trial, along with surveillance footage and physical evidence, established that Lloyd was the shooter. The prosecution claimed that the evidence showed Lloyd intended to kill Kavanaugh when he fired multiple times while Kavanaugh sat in his car.
Purpura focused on the reliability of one of the state’s key witnesses, arguing that there were inconsistencies in the witness’ statements that created reasonable doubt. Purpura told the jury that there was no forensic evidence linking Lloyd to the shooting and maintained that the state’s case relied heavily on testimony from a witness whose credibility was challenged repeatedly.
In the state’s rebuttal, they argued that while the witness showed inconsistencies at times in previous statements, his testimony lined up with the evidence presented.
Jurors are expected to begin deliberating on June 12.
