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By
Andrew Michaels
- September 26, 2023
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Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Christopher L. Panos denied bail for a 24-year-old Baltimore man who is facing charges for shooting his roommate in the head and leaving the victim’s body in a car behind a Carroll Motor Fuels gas station earlier this year.
The hearing occurred on Sept. 26.
The father of 22-year-old Jeffery Brooks Jr. reported his son missing on March 23 when he contacted the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), according to court documents. Brooks’ father told police he spoke with his son’s roommate, Markis Russell, who allegedly said the two had an argument over money that turned into a physical fight inside their apartment on the 3100 block of Mary Avenue.
After further investigation, Russell was brought into BPD’s homicide unit for questioning on March 24 and admitted to killing Brooks, court documents states. Russell told police that when he came home, Brooks confronted him about money Russell owed the victim. As the conversation grew heated, Russell told police, Brooks grabbed a knife, causing the defendant to fear for his life.
Russell reportedly said in his police interview that he shot Brooks once in the head, moved Brooks’ body to the victim’s 2009 Subaru Outback and parked the car behind Carroll Motor Fuels on the 6800 block of Harford Road. Police later found Brooks’ car and his body face down in the backseat.
Russell is currently represented by defense attorney Leonard Gutkoska, according to the Maryland Judiciary website.