Day three of the Matthew Harper Jr. trial continued Sept. 17 before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones with more prosecution witnesses. A Baltimore Police Department (BPD) detective and a forensic scientist testified about the black Infiniti and ballistic evidence from the incident.
Harper, 30 , is charged in connection with the Oct. 7, 2024 murder of Damien Parker. Parker, 26, was shot on the 2300 block of Harford Road near the intersection of Harford Road and Normal Avenue. Parker was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A medical examiner determined that Parker died from multiple gunshot wounds.
A BPD detective testified about surveillance footage and the investigation into the black Infiniti believed to be connected to the shooting. He testified that police later located the vehicle and found ballistic damage after obtaining a search warrant.
The detective also testified that a cell phone recovered from the vehicle could not be accessed because it was password protected. During cross-examination, defense attorney Jason Ott questioned the detective about the initial description of the vehicle, the firearms and shell casings recovered at the scene, and why the Infiniti and the defendant were not tested for gunshot residue.
A forensic scientist testified about the ballistic evidence recovered during the investigation. She explained that three cartridges were recovered from the scene and that some of the firearm evidence was inconclusive.
During cross-examination, the defense attorney questioned the witness about the original firearms report, which was issued in January 2025 and uploaded electronically into the police department’s database.
The testimony is slated to conclude on Sept. 17.
