ANNAPOLIS, Md. – An Anne Arundel County jury convicted Jaden Crowner, 20, of first-degree murder on Friday for the 2020 killing of Walters Elangwe during a staged smartphone sale. The Brooklyn resident was also found guilty of firearm charges, including carrying a handgun during the commission of a violent crime. Crowner, already serving a life sentence for a 2023 murder, will face sentencing on April 30, 2025.
State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess described the case as a senseless act of violence. “Walters Elangwe was a hardworking man who was killed for no reason other than Crowner’s desire to test a new handgun,” Leitess said. “Crowner has demonstrated complete disregard for human life, and I am grateful for the Annapolis Police Department’s work in ensuring he no longer poses a threat to our community.”
On July 11, 2020, Elangwe, a 29-year-old Cameroonian immigrant who earned additional income by buying and selling smartphones, traveled to Primrose Court in Annapolis to purchase an iPhone. While waiting in the parking lot, he was approached by two individuals.
According to a witness, a brief conversation ensued before one of the men drew a handgun and fired multiple shots through Elangwe’s windshield. The victim’s vehicle reversed into another car before coming to a stop. Elangwe was transported to Anne Arundel Medical Center, where he later died.
The suspects fled the scene, joined by a third individual, through a wooded area. Investigators used cellphone records and surveillance footage to identify Crowner as the shooter.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys Glen Neubauer and Brian Pritchard, with Judge Pamela Alban presiding. Prosecutors argued that Crowner’s motive was to test a recently acquired firearm by robbing Elangwe under the pretense of selling him a smartphone.
“This conviction highlights the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and prosecutors to hold individuals accountable for violent crimes,” Leitess said.
Crowner, who is already serving a life sentence for another murder, will be sentenced in April 2025 for Elangwe’s death. His conviction closes a chapter on a case that rocked the Annapolis community.
