A jury in Anne Arundel County has found Marquis Mayo guilty of the murder and kidnapping of David Winchester Jr., a case that began with an armed home invasion and ended with a fatal shooting outside an Annapolis middle school last spring.
The verdict, announced Monday, included felony first-degree murder, kidnapping, and the use of a firearm in a violent crime. Mayo, 35, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22, 2025, in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court.
Prosecutors argued that Mayo was directly involved in the series of events that led to Winchester’s killing. The case began late at night on March 28, 2024, when Winchester was forcibly taken from Baltimore City. He was later brought to his mother’s home, where two armed men forced their way inside. One held his mother at gunpoint, demanding money, while another pursued his sister upstairs, firing rounds through a closed bedroom door. The suspects eventually left without obtaining any money, taking Winchester with them.
Hours later, police found Winchester’s body in a wooded area near the track and field of Wiley H. Bates Middle School in Annapolis. He had been shot twice in the back of the head. Investigators later uncovered surveillance footage showing a blue Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross entering the school’s parking lot shortly before gunfire was heard in the area. The same vehicle was later seen leaving Annapolis.
Authorities traced the vehicle to Monae Fincher, a Baltimore resident and the ex-wife of Jamar Fincher, a recently released inmate. A confidential source helped link Mayo to the killing, leading to charges against him and two others.
State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess emphasized that Mayo’s conviction highlights the importance of felony murder laws, which hold all participants in a violent crime accountable if a death occurs. A bill currently under consideration in the Maryland General Assembly seeks to limit the use of these laws, a move that Leitess opposes.
“This case shows why felony murder laws matter,” she said. “Four individuals were involved in this crime. Two committed an armed home invasion while Winchester was held captive in a car. Later, he was executed. Without these laws, we would not have been able to hold all those responsible accountable.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys Glen Neubauer, Joshua Adrian, and Shane Nolan. Judge Cathleen M. Vitale presided over the trial.
Mayo’s sentencing next spring will determine his punishment for his role in Winchester’s death. Prosecutors hope the verdict provides some justice for the victim’s family, who suffered not only the loss of Winchester but also the trauma of the violent home invasion.
