Trial Begins for Man Accused of Druid Heights Murder

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Counsel delivered opening statements Sept. 3 as trial began for a Baltimore man accused of murdering Tyrez Countess, 21, in Druid Heights last year.

Joshua Austin, 31, is charged with first-degree murder and four firearm violations for his alleged involvement in the fatal Dec. 27, 2024 shooting, which the prosecution described as a “senseless, senseless murder just two days after Christmas.”

Charging documents state Austin shot Countess following a verbal altercation that was captured by surveillance cameras in the area of the 2100 block of Druid Hill Avenue. Western District officers from the Baltimore Police Department notified homicide detectives of a fatal shooting, and a crime scene was located at the intersection of McCulloh and Bloom Streets. Recovered evidence included four spent 9mm shell casings, Countess’ clothing and suspected blood.

Countess was transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he was pronounced deceased at approximately 2:12 p.m., minutes after the shooting occurred. His cause of death was determined to be homicide by multiple gunshot wounds.

The prosecution noted Countess was shot three times, with one bullet piercing the right side of his body and exiting the left.

“This is not a whodunit, this is not a ‘what happened,’” she told jurors. “This is a brazen murder.”

Austin was arrested near midnight on Jan. 20, following a brief foot chase that began at the 2900 block of Riggs Avenue.

Defense attorney John Deros accused the prosecution of appealing to jurors’ sympathies by emphasizing the incident’s proximity to Christmas and New Year’s. He called her opening statement “an exercise in overreaching.”

Countess’ mother was present at the trial, along with multiple other of his family members and acquaintances. Austin’s ex-girlfriend is expected to take the stand later during proceedings to provide identifying testimony.

The trial is currently ongoing before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lynn Stewart Mays.