Testimony began on Sept. 24 in Baltimore City Circuit Court before Judge Alan Lazerow for a homicide that occurred on Mother’s Day, May 11, 2025, on the 4100 Block of Mountwood Avenue. The defendant, Tamal Johnson, stands accused of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder of Taniya Gray, 23.
As the victim exited her home to celebrate her birthday with a trip to the spa with her best friend, the defendant allegedly pulled up in a Kia Sorrento, exited the vehicle and fatally shot the victim, causing her friend to flee on foot as her car was blocked in by the defendant’s vehicle.
According to the statement of charges, the defendant allegedly had arrived at the scene nearly six hours before the homicide, and waited outside of the defendant’s home.
License plate readings of the vehicle connected it to an earlier traffic stop with the defendant’s mother as the driver of the vehicle. Interviews with the defendant and his mother allegedly confirmed that he had borrowed the car the night before the homicide, and returned it the following morning.
The prosecutor argued during the opening statement that at an unspecified time earlier in the morning, the defendant allegedly tried to pull around to target the victim but the angle was blocked by another vehicle, so he allegedly waited for another opportunity.
Notably, no motive or connection between the defendant and victim was alleged by the prosecution.
In his opening statement, defense counsel, George Harris, focused on inconsistencies in the prosecution’s narrative, noting that fingerprint evidence found on the recovered firearm did not belong to his client, that the license plate reader and video footage could not determine the occupants of the Kia Sorrento, and that the phone number tracked was never found to be directly in the vehicle.
Testimony is expected to continue on Sept. 25.
