Mental competency evaluations for two homicide cases were provided a 30-day extensions in mental health court on April 8 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Gale E. Rasin.
Judge Rasin signed another competency evaluation order for Deluntae Boyd, 35, after concerns were expressed regarding intellectual impairment and mental illnesses. She initially ordered an evaluation for him two weeks ago, but the delay wasn’t explained in open court..
Boyd is charged for the murder of Robert Horstman on the 5300 block of Moravia Road on April 17, 2024.
According to court documents, Baltimore Northeast District Patrol officers responded to a call at a Checkers fast food restaurant on Moravia road for a reported assault. Upon arrival, they discovered the victim had been transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospital with several head injuries.
Video footage was recovered from the scene, detailing the incident. Horstman is seen approaching the restaurant, where he purchases food and sits down to eat. Boyd can be seen walking to the same window and attempting to order food. At this point, the restaurant was closed and wouldn’t take Boyd’s order.
Boyd approached Horstman’s table, allegedly snatching his food. The victim stood up to confront him. Words were exchanged before Boyd reportedly began to assault Horstman, pushing him to the ground.
The defendant then punched him in the face twice and stomped on his head eight times. Horstman quickly lost consciousness. Boyd grabbed the food and left the scene.
On June 24, 2024, Horstman was discharged from Bayview hospital and placed in a nursing care facility, where he never returned to his baseline of neurological functioning following the assault. On July 24, 2024, Horstman was picked up by EMS and taken to Franklin Square Hospital with respiratory distress, before being placed in hospice care.
Horstman died on July 30, 2024. On Oct. 23, 2024, an autopsy was conducted and the manner of death was ruled to be a delayed homicide from complications of blunt force injuries, stemming from his encounter with Boyd.
Judge Rasin received a letter from a doctor stating Boyd was already evaluated on March 27. The court is asking for a 30-day extension for an evaluation from al mental health specialist.
Boyd has been previously diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. The report will test Boyd for mental illness, as well as cognitive disabilities.
An evaluation extension was also given to Tyrell Branch, 37, who is charged with several counts of murder and assault for the fatal shooting of Tobias Cunningham at the 400 block of North Paca Street on May 25, 2025.
Patrol officers reported to the incident following calls about a gushot. Upon arrival, officers found Cunningham suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the driver’s seat of a black Audi A5.
The Baltimore City Fire Department transported the victim to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Hospital. Despite medical efforts, Cunningham was pronounced dead. An autopsy ruled the cause of death as homicide by multiple gunshot wounds.
Video footage was recovered, showing two male suspects approaching the victim in his vehicle. One suspect fired a handgun at the driver’s side window before both fled the scene. There was no apparent verbal confrontation.
Additional footage showed the suspects exiting a gray Nissan Rogue into an adjacent alley prior to the shooting. Detectives also obtained cell site data for the vehicle, leading to the identification of Branch as one of the suspects.
Judge Rasin signed an order for initial competency evaluation for Branch on March 2, but received a report back stating Branch refused to participate.
Several doctors recommended Branch be referred to Maryland Department of Health for further evaluation and possible hospitalization. Judge Rasin ordered an extended commitment for 30 days for a new evaluation to be completed.
Branch is currently on a waiting list to be evaluated, which Judge Rasin says could be up to eight months.
