A homicide defendant pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, accepting a sentence of 25 years in prison before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Nicole K. Barmore.
Dale Haddix, 23, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Haddix’s original charge was for first-degree murder. He shot Tyron Fields, 44, on Dec. 19, 2023, on the 1800 block of Montford Avenue.
According to the plea agreement, Haddix was sentenced to 10 years, suspending all but five, with five years of supervised probation for the manslaughter charge. For the firearm offense, he received 15 years, suspending all but five, to be served consecutively. In total, the sentence amounts to 25 years, with 10 years to serve.
During the sentencing, members of Fields’ family delivered emotional statements.
“My son was not a bad person; he was a living soul,” the victim’s mother told the court. “To shoot someone eight times—he must live with this every day. I thank God for the guilty verdict.”
The mother of one of Fields’ children added, “My son will not know his father, and won’t grow up with his father. He robbed the life of a great man.”
Defense attorney Koryn High noted that Haddix was only 21 years old at the time of the incident. High said the defendant had no children and was attempting to maintain employment, but struggled with a cocaine addiction he developed. She stated Haddix acted out of a heightened sense of fear, claiming the victim, Fields, was armed during the incident.
Haddix told the court that he is very remorseful and is now attending church and building a relationship with God.
