A Baltimore man charged with the first-degree murder of two 26-year-old men in Mondawmin’s West Baltimore neighborhood received a postponement in his case on Dec. 1, and is now set to stand trial next summer following complications with evidence.
Khaleb Edmonds, 25, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and three firearm violations in connection to the fatal double shooting, which occurred Aug. 24, 2023 in West Baltimore. Victim Myron White was shot in the head while driving a vehicle, and Darius Hill was struck in the torso while sitting in the passenger seat.
Surveillance footage from near the crime scene on the 2200 block of W. North Avenue allegedly captured Edmonds firing multiple gunshots at both victims after the vehicle White was driving swerved through a red light.
At the Dec. 1 hearing, Edmonds rejected a plea offer from the state of life, suspending all but 60 years.
Though Edmonds stood trial earlier this year in June, proceedings ended in a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. At the time, defense attorney Staci Pipkin argued that the state’s case rested on “garbage” DNA evidence and an outfit the shooter was captured wearing. At trial, jurors were shown images of the suspect in a white T-shirt, black shorts, and black-and-white high-top sneakers.
Though Pipkin continued to criticize investigative failures to immediately secure the scene and preserve forensic samples, prosecution witnesses later testified that DNA samples collected from a chair and two water bottles at the scene matched Edmonds with a likelihood of 274,000 times.
Despite the prosecution’s opposition to the postponement, Edmonds’ case was ultimately sent to Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Melissa K. Copeland in reception court for a new trial date.
According to the Maryland Judiciary website, the court has yet to set a new date for trial.
