Teen Accused of Car Deal Murder Rejects Plea Offer

By Breanna Pompey [former] - April 30, 2024
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Shooting | Victims |

An 18-year-old homicide defendant received an August trial date from Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland in an April 23 hearing.

Marques Harris is currently charged with two counts of first-degree murder, attempted first- and- second degree murder, conspiracy to commit first degree murder, two counts of firearm use in a felony violent crime, possession of a firearm as a minor and having a handgun on his person in connection to the death of 18-year-old Carlos Carrazana-Ricardo in November of last year.

For first-degree murder, the prosecution offered Harris life in prison, suspending all but 40 years, followed by five years of probation. For attempted first-degree murder he was offered 45 years in prison to run concurrently to the first-degree murder sentence.

Harris and his defense attorney, Jeremy Eldridge, declined this offer. 

Judge Copeland scheduled a four-day trial beginning on Aug. 27.

According to documents from the District Court of Maryland, Baltimore Police Department officers responded to the 2700 block of Harlem Avenue after reports of a shooting on Nov. 27, 2023. While at the scene, an officer found Carrazana-Ricardo suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. 

An investigation revealed that Carrazana-Ricardo had driven to Baltimore to purchase a vehicle advertised on Facebook Marketplace from an unknown individual. The individual, later identified as Harris, allegedly shot the victim after he decided not to purchase the vehicle. Carranza-Ricardo was transported to the hospital and died from his injuries the next day.