ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Wilber Oswaldo Nunez-Menendez, a 28-year-old man from Crownsville, has been sentenced to 55 years in prison following a 2020 incident where he fatally shot one man and critically injured another during a construction company gathering. The announcement was made by State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess on Tuesday.
The sentence, issued in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court by Judge Pamela Alban, includes a total of 90 years with 35 years suspended, and mandates that the first 10 years be served without parole. Upon release, Nunez-Menendez will also face five years of supervised probation.
The violent altercation took place on November 14, 2020, at an outdoor party hosted by the company, featuring food, drinks, and a bonfire. During the event, a verbal dispute escalated dramatically when Nunez-Menendez, who was attending the party with his uncle, withdrew a handgun and opened fire, killing Ronal Alcidis Maldonado Quijana, 52, and severely injuring another 28-year-old employee.
“This tragic event resulted from a verbal altercation that unnecessarily escalated to gunfire, costing a father and husband his life, and leaving another in critical condition,” said Leitess. “The defendant then fled the country in a failed attempt to escape justice.”
Following the shooting, Nunez-Menendez fled the United States, but was later arrested in El Salvador on unrelated charges. His arrest enabled U.S. Marshals to extradite him back to Maryland on May 11, 2023, where he was subsequently charged.
On January 22, 2024, Nunez-Menendez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and two counts of using a handgun in a crime of violence. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys Nancy Jeffein Olin and Joshua Adrian.
The law enforcement community and the State’s Attorney’s office have highlighted this case as a stark reminder of the severe consequences of gun violence, especially when disputes among acquaintances turn deadly.
