Trial Set For Suspect Accused of Killing Two, Wounding a Third

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Munir Matin, 37, rejected a plea offer of life, suspending all but 90 years, and five years of supervised probation before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones on Feb. 28. Matin is charged in connection to two homicide incidents and one attempted murder incident from June 2, 2024.

Matin faces numerous charges from three incidents that all occurred on the same day, including three counts each of first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony or violent crime, and reckless endangerment. He also faces two counts each of armed robbery and theft, as well as related firearm, conspiracy, and carjacking charges.

According to charging documents, Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers responded to the 900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue at approximately 5 p.m. and located 32-year-old Terrell Johnson-Smith suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Smith was transported to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Next around 4:00 a.m. 34-year-old Jarmal Harrid was shot to death as seen on video surveillance footage from near the 500 block of West Mulberry Street. It captured Matin’s codefendant, 27-year-old Aqil King, allegedly driving Matin to the location. Matin then appeared to shoot Harrid and steal his red Lexus.

A third victim was shot in the chin at the Stop One Convenience Store in the 2900 block of Garrison Boulevard. Nearby footage showed an unknown Black man following the victim out of the store before producing a handgun and firing. Officers later recovered 9mm casings from near the front of the store.

The casings were submitted to the BPD Firearms Analysis Unit, that determined that were a likely match those recovered from the previous two crime scenes.

Investigators later found the red Lexus abandoned on the side of a road and lifted latent prints from the vehicle. The prints were sent to the BPD Crime Lab, who found that they likely matched Matin’s.

Footage from all three incidents captured a person appearing to be Matin wearing the same outfit each time: a khaki colored shirt, khaki pants, black flip-flops – one with a Nike logo and one without – one white sock, and one black sock..

King was initially charged with two counts of first degree murder and one count each of carjacking and robbery, as well as related firearm charges for his alleged involvement in the murder of Jarmal Harrid. Judge Jones dropped all of King’s charges on Feb. 28 after the prosecution failed to produce sufficient evidence to incriminate King beyond his presence at the scene.

Matin’s hearing was transferred to Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland to discuss the terms of the plea. Matin’s defense attorney, Roya Hanna, called the prosecution’s plea deal “unreasonable,” claiming that she’s defended numerous clients with more severe records that had received much more lenient offers, usually capped at 60 years. Hanna urged Judge Copeland to consider an offer of life, suspending all but 50 years, instead.

The prosecution rebutted, calling their offer reasonable for a defendant accused of three shootings in one day. The victims’ family would agree, they said.

“This offer is appropriate given the circumstances,” the prosecution told Judge Copeland.

Judge Copeland called the hearing a waste of time, claiming that Matin’s case should have long since reached the trial phase. The trial will be held before Judge Cynthia Jones.