The trial for 29-year-old Dewitt Jackson continued July 6 with additional testimony from state witnesses before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey M. Geller.
Jackson is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree arson, home invasion and firearm use in connection to the Dec. 10, 2024 death of 18-year-old Brian Stansbury on the 1100 block of Quantril Way.
Prosecutors allege Jackson broke into Stansbury’s home and fatally shot him following a physical altercation. Investigators recovered one .45-caliber shell casing from the scene, but no firearm.
The state also alleged Jackson later set fire to a white Ford Explorer seen outside the residence around the time of the shooting.
According to a Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officer who responded to the shooting and car fire, vehicle registration records showed the Ford Explorer was stolen. The officer told the court he had previously observed a partially removed clown sticker on the vehicle’s passenger side, which matched the Ford Explorer reportedly seen outside the victim’s home.
Jurors also viewed surveillance footage that prosecutors say shows a suspect exiting the passenger side of the white Ford Explorer before entering the victim’s home, with the clown sticker distinctly visible.
DNA analysis was later conducted on a screwdriver recovered from the passenger door of the burned Ford Explorer, as well as the victim’s right hand. Though the screwdriver reportedly contained DNA allegedly matching Jackson, he was excluded as a contributor to DNA recovered from the victim’s hand.
Prosecutors also pointed to data recovered from Jackson’s phone, highlighting an Instagram profile containing the hashtag #freetheguys. According to the state, similar phrases were found written on the victim’s wall and on the burned Ford explorer.
Defense attorney Staci Pipkin, did her own Instagram search for the hashtag and pointed out “freedemboys” is a popular phrase used by many.
The trial is set to conclude July 7 with closing arguments.
