Cameron David Curtis, 22, of Drayden, stands convicted on four counts of attempted murder after a six-day jury trial in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court. State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling made the announcement November 5, 2025, following the panel’s verdict in a case tied to a May 3, 2025, shooting near Chancellors Run Road and Pegg Road in Great Mills.
Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene that evening after reports of gunfire echoed through the residential area. They encountered a vehicle carrying four male occupants, with three suffering gunshot wounds. The victims received immediate medical attention, though specific conditions remain undisclosed pending ongoing aspects of the case. An extensive probe by sheriff’s detectives traced the episode to an initial dispute in Leonardtown that escalated as the parties moved toward Lexington Park, culminating in a high-speed pursuit involving multiple firearms.
“This was an extremely dangerous act of violence where multiple firearms were used during a vehicle chase, jeopardizing the lives of these four victims and countless members of our community,” Sterling stated in a prepared release.
The jury found Curtis guilty on nine total charges, reflecting the severity of his involvement. Those include two counts of attempted first-degree murder, each carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment; two counts of attempted second-degree murder, each with a maximum of 30 years; four counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, each up to 20 years; and one count of handgun in a vehicle, punishable by up to five years. Curtis, who remains in custody without bond at the St. Mary’s County Detention Center, could face a combined maximum sentence of life plus life plus 145 years when Judge Amy Lorenzini imposes punishment at a later date. Sentencing guidelines in Maryland consider factors such as prior record and the nature of the offenses, though specifics for Curtis have not been released.
Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Alena Moiser led the prosecution, presenting evidence gathered over months to the 12-person jury. Detective Warren Forinash of the sheriff’s office served as the primary investigator, coordinating witness interviews, ballistic analysis and scene reconstruction along routes familiar to locals, from the shops and eateries of Leonardtown to the commercial strips of Lexington Park.
The trial unfolded over six days in the county’s historic courthouse on Washington Street, where proceedings adhered to Maryland’s standards for capital-level cases. Jurors deliberated for several hours before reaching unanimous verdicts on all counts, underscoring the strength of the state’s case built on forensic links and survivor accounts. In Maryland, attempted first-degree murder requires proof of premeditation and a substantial step toward the act, distinguishing it from lesser degrees that hinge on intent without planning. Firearm enhancements, mandated under state law since 1994, add consecutive time to base sentences, aiming to deter gun-related violence in communities like St. Mary’s, where rural roads and suburban growth intersect.
This conviction caps a broader investigation into the May 3 incident, detailed in an August 18, 2025, report on a fourth arrest linked to the same Great Mills shooting.
Under Maryland’s sentencing framework, judges weigh victim impact statements, rehabilitation potential and public safety in final dispositions. For Curtis, the life-eligible counts signal the gravity, as consecutive terms could extend incarceration indefinitely. The case exemplifies how county resources, from the sheriff’s tactical response units to the state’s attorney’s victim services division, coordinate to resolve violent episodes that disrupt daily life in Southern Maryland’s waterways and farmlands.
Prosecutors emphasized during closing arguments the recklessness of discharging weapons from moving vehicles, a tactic that endangered bystanders near Pegg Road’s family homes and Chancellors Run’s open fields. Moiser’s team relied on dashcam footage, shell casings recovered from the roadside and medical records to establish Curtis’s direct participation, avoiding speculation on motives beyond the initial altercation.
