Opening statements and testimony commenced in the trial of William Andre Stewart III, 27, on Oct. 15, in Baltimore City Circuit Court before Judge Dana Middleton for two homicides allegedly committed on the same day.
Stewart is charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder, attempted first-and-second degree murder, first-and-second degree assault, multiple counts of conspiracy to commit murder, multiple counts of reckless endangerment, multiple counts of firearm use in the commission of a violent felony, and a litany of weapons charges related to the shooting incidents.
In opening arguments, the prosecuting attorney stated that the day of the homicides was a “busy day for the defendant,” which began with an alleged homicide around 2:30 a.m. and ended with another alleged homicide around 6:30 p.m.
In the first incident, the defendant allegedly shot and killed Manuel Luis, 19, during an attempted robbery in his car parked on the 4700 Block of Loch Raven Boulevard. Luis, a student at Morgan State University was shot seven times and died in his vehicle. Police investigators found six .40 caliber casings at the scene.
In the second incident, the defendant was allegedly accompanied by his co-conspirators, fired simultaneously at the victim.
Travis Chance, 16, was in a busy Subway sandwich shop on the 5600 Block of the Alameda in Glen Oaks when he was allegedly shot and killed by the defendant. Two bystanders were also struck by some 20 bullets reportedly fired by Stewart and his co-conspirator, one who was shot in the leg, and the other was shot in the ear.
Defense counsel Deborah Warner-Dennis focused on pieces of evidence that did not fit the prosecution’s narrative. She began by saying “If the state has all the evidence they claim they had, we wouldn’t be here.”
She noted the lack of eyewitnesses in this case, the fact that no firearm was recovered and that the surveillance footage brought forward by the prosecution doesn’t identify the shooter. She pointed out the clothing that her client allegedly wore that night, noting that the black hoodie, white tennis shoes and yellow T-shirt associated with the murder suspect did not match up with images of her client. She stated those garments were not found at her client’s home when he was arrested. She argued that the police did not find any .40 caliber ammunition found at his home either.
The trial is expected to continue for at least three days with testimony continuing on Oct 16.
