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UPPER MARLBORO, MD (April 25, 2022) – A 43-year old Landover man has been sentenced to life for the 2017 killing of a 29-year old man that occurred in Capitol Heights. In July of 2017, police responded to 1408 Pine Grove Road in Capitol Heights for a call of a welfare check. Kevin Bartimus Hawkins was found lying on the side of the road with trauma to his upper body and was rushed to a hospital where medical personnel discovered he had been shot. Hawkins died several days later.
During the course of the investigation, witnesses told police that Hawkins was standing at 1020 Atlee Drive in Landover with Martinez Diaz Ferrell and other men on the night he was shot. At about 2 a.m., a witness heard a gunshot. Then, the witness observed Ferrell and another man struggling to move a large object, which they eventually placed in the back of Ferrell’s black Chevrolet Trailblazer. They drove off and when they returned Ferrell used a hose to clean off the vehicle even though it was storming.
When investigators questioned Ferrell, he waived his rights and admitted being with Hawkins on the night in question. He also said he had sold the truck and was in Alabama, even though investigators had already located it in Landover. Based on surveillance video, witness information and evidence collected from the defendant, he was arrested.
Ferrell was convicted in December 2021 after a jury trial of second degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
“Today’s sentence against Mr. Ferrell is just,” said State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy. “He will spend the rest of his life in prison for taking Mr. Hawkins away from his family and friends. This sentence should also send a message that crime will not be tolerated in Prince George’s County. For Mr. Hawkins’ family, I do hope that this will bring them some sense of closure in this very tragic case.”
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