Press Release, Anne Arundel County Police Department
UPDATE August 29, 2019-ANNAPOLIS, MD – Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess announced today that Dillon Augustyniak,19, of Jessup entered a plea of guilty to first-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence in the murder of Steven Wilson. Augustyniak will be sentenced by the Honorable J. Michael Wachs on October 23, 2019. Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence.
“Mr. Augustyniak stole the life of Steven Wilson, a beloved husband, son, brother and friend,” said Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess. “Mr. Augustyniak will be held fully accountable for his callous disregard for human life. I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the Wilson family. We were able to prosecute this case due to the excellent investigative work by the Anne Arundel County homicide unit who left no stone unturned in finding Steven Wilson’s killer.”
On Wednesday, December 5, 2018, Anne Arundel County Police and Fire Department responded to a model home in the 7500 block of Newmanstown Drive in Hanover after receiving a 911 call made from the victim’s phone. While most of the call was inaudible, the caller asked for an ambulance. A few moments later, a second voice in the background demanded, “Where is the money?” and “Who are you talking to?” The phone call then disconnected.
Upon arrival, police officers located the victim, later identified as Steven Wilson, suffering from a gunshot wound. Mr. Wilson was unresponsive and subsequently pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency medical personnel.
During the investigation, police determined that shortly before 5 p.m. that day, Mr. Wilson saw his last customer at the model home. Video surveillance footage captured Augustyniak approaching from the wooded area behind the home, carrying a partially concealed green rifle. After trying the rear door unsuccessfully, Augustyniak went to the side of the house. At 5:04 p.m. Steven Wilson made the 911 call. By then, he had already been shot and struggled to speak. Augustyniak took the victim’s cell phone, laptop, keys, and power cords. The surveillance video shows Augustyniak running back toward the wooded area behind the home with a bundle in his arms.
At approximately 6 p.m. on the same day, Augustyniak sold the victim’s phone to his neighbor. Not long after the purchase, his neighbor’s fiancée realized the phone was stolen and belonged to Mr. Wilson whose murder had made the news. The neighbor and his fiancée brought the cellphone to the authorities and provided police with Augustyniak’s name.
Forensic analysis of the victim’s phone revealed that just minutes after the murder, Augustyniak logged into his Snapchat account and sent an outgoing Snapchat message. The phone’s web search history showed a search for a song called, “Murder on My Mind.” Eventually, Augustyniak was locked out of the phone and unable to get in without the passcode. Shortly after getting locked out of the phone, Augustyniak sold the phone to his neighbor.
Anne Arundel County Police obtained and executed a search warrant for Augustyniak’s residence and recovered a .22 caliber long rifle similar to the one seen in the surveillance video. Additionally, camouflage pants and a camouflage hoodie identical to clothing seen on the surveillance video were recovered from Augustyniak’s room. Police also recovered a sweatshirt, t-shirt, and undershirt near a shipping container in the construction area located between the model home and Augustyniak’s neighborhood. This discarded clothing was tested and contained DNA evidence that was later linked to Augustyniak. Police found Snapchat images showing him wearing the same items a few days before the murder.
In the early morning hours of December 7, 2018, Augustyniak was arrested at a home in Baltimore. He was transported to Anne Arundel County Police Department Criminal Investigation Division where he was given his Miranda warnings and knowingly and voluntarily waived his rights and agreed to speak to the detectives. Augustyniak admitted to shooting the victim.
Assistant State’s Attorneys Amanda Matey and Jason Steinhardt prosecuted the case on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County.
On Wednesday, December 5, 2018, at approximately 5:06 p.m, officers responded for a 911 call coming from the 7500 block of Newmanstown Drive, Hanover, Maryland. Upon arrival, officers entered a model home/home sales center and discovered an adult male suffering from apparent trauma. Medical personnel arrived on scene and rendered aid but the male was pronounced deceased.
The victim was identified as Steven Bernard Wilson, a thirty-three-year-old male from the 500 block of Captain John Brice Way, Annapolis, Maryland. The victim was a sales and marketing representative working out of the model home. Evidence at the scene indicated the death of Mr. Wilson was the result of a homicide. An autopsy will be performed on Thursday, December 06, 2018 by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the exact cause and manner of death.
Anne Arundel County Homicide responded to the scene along with the Evidence Collection Unit. Several searches were conducted of the model home, surrounding areas with the assistance of Air and K-9 Units. An area canvass of the neighborhood was done and detectives were able to identify multiple pieces of evidence throughout the night.
As this is a very active and fluid investigation Homicide detectives are asking anyone with information to come forward by calling the Anne Arundel County Homicide Unit at 410-222-4731. If anyone with information wishes to remain anonymous, they can also contact the Anne Arundel County Police Tip Line 410-222-4700 or Metro Crime Stoppers.
Update 12/7/18
On Thursday, December 6, 2018, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performed an autopsy on Steven Wilson. The OCME ruled the cause of his death as a gunshot wound(s) with the manner being a homicide.
As homicide detectives worked throughout the day and nights interviewing witnesses and examining the recovered evidence a suspect was developed. Homicide detectives secured an arrest warrant for Dillon Nicholas Augustyniak, an eighteen-year-old male from the 7800 block of Clark Road, Jessup, Maryland. With the assistance of the Special Operations Section, search warrants were executed linking the suspect to the murder of Mr. Wilson.
On Friday, December 07, 2018 at approximately 12:52 a.m., the Fugitive Apprehension Team assisted by the Baltimore Police Department located Dillon Augustyniak in the 2100 block of Ramsey Street, Baltimore, Maryland. The suspect was taken into custody without incident and has been charged for the murder of Steven Wilson with First Degree Murder, Armed Robbery, Theft $1500.00 to under $25,000.00 and Firearm use in a Felony Crime of Violence.
?The investigation revealed this was a random act of violence with the motive being robbery.
Even though an arrest has been made this is a very active and fluid investigation Homicide detectives are asking anyone with information to come forward by calling the Anne Arundel County Homicide Unit at 410-222-4731. If anyone with information wishes to remain anonymous, they can also contact the Anne Arundel County Police Tip Line 410-222-4700 or Metro Crime Stoppers.
Arrested:
Dillon Nicholas Augustyniak, 18 YO (booking photo not available)
Jessup, MD 20794
Charges:
- First Degree Murder
- Armed Robbery
- Theft $1500.00 to under $25,000.00
- Firearm use in a Felony Crime of Violence
The Anne Arundel County Homicide Unit is actively investigating six open homicides that occurred earlier this year. The Anne Arundel County Police Department is offering a $10,000 reward in each case for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) involved in the murders of Lawrence Aaron III, Juan Funes, Dantae Simmons, Jasmine Adams, Prateek Kumar, and Quenton Boykin.
- Lawrence Aaron III murdered on January 1, 2018 in the 7800 block of Bastille Road, Severn
- Juan Funes murdered on March 2, 2018 in the 200 block of Brock Bridge Road, Laurel
- Dantae Simmons murdered on July 2, 2018 in the area of Short Curve Road, Glen Burnie
- Jasmine Adams murdered on August 15, 2018 in the 1800 block of Hawk Court, Severn
- Prateek Kumar murdered on October 8, 2018 in the 300 block of Highland Drive, Glen Burnie
- Quenton Boykin murdered on November 11, 2018 in the 600 block Charante Court, Glen Burnie
Anyone with information regarding any of the above cases is asked to contact the Homicide Unit at 410-222-4731. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call our Tip Line at 410-222-4700 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP (1-866-756-2587).