LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Mark Albert Fenwick Jr., 33, of Annapolis, received a life sentence Monday, with 40 years to serve without parole, for his involvement in a 2024 shooting that severely injured a man in Lexington Park.
St. Mary’s County Circuit Court Judge Joseph M. Stanalonis imposed the penalty after a jury convicted Fenwick in May 2024 of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, armed robbery and theft. The verdict capped a multi-day trial where prosecutors detailed Fenwick’s actions in the October 30, 2024, attack on a male victim who suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body.
The incident unfolded around 8:15 p.m. in the 22000 block of Valley Estates Drive, a residential area off Three Notch Road known for its mix of single-family homes and townhouses. Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of gunfire and found the victim conscious but bleeding heavily on the ground near a driveway. First responders provided immediate aid, including pressure dressings and IV fluids, before medevac crews airlifted him to a trauma center in Baltimore, where he underwent surgery for wounds that included entry points to the chest and arm. Hospital records later confirmed the victim spent two weeks in intensive care, with ongoing rehabilitation for nerve damage and mobility limitations.
Although Fenwick did not fire the weapon, evidence presented at trial linked him directly to the planning and execution. Prosecutors argued he drove the getaway vehicle — a stolen sedan — and assisted in restraining the victim during the robbery, which targeted cash and a cellphone. Witnesses, including a neighbor who heard three to four shots and saw two men fleeing, provided descriptions that matched Fenwick and a second suspect. Cellphone data and surveillance footage from a nearby convenience store further corroborated his presence, showing the group arriving together hours earlier.
“Although this Defendant was not the shooter, he contributed to a brutal and senseless attack that left a victim gravely injured,” State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling said in a statement. “This sentence ensures accountability and reflects our commitment to justice by prosecuting all violent offenders who participate in endangering our community.”
Senior Assistant State’s Attorneys Donna Pettersen and Lisa Ridge led the prosecution, presenting nine felony counts originally filed against Fenwick upon his November 2024 arrest. A third suspect, Charles Henry Thompson, 30, of Lexington Park, was apprehended in South Carolina on January 17, 2025, and extradited to face similar charges of attempted first- and second-degree murder. Jarrell Raheim Johnson, 36, of Prince Frederick, charged as an accessory after the fact, remains in custody awaiting his own proceedings.
Under Maryland law, attempted first-degree murder carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, as it requires proof of premeditation and intent to kill, even without a completed homicide. First-degree assault, involving a firearm, mandates a minimum of five years, while armed robbery adds up to 20 years. Theft over $100 contributes lesser time but underscores the combined threat. Guidelines from the Maryland State Commission on Criminal Sentencing Policy emphasize consecutive terms for multi-count convictions in violent felonies, allowing judges discretion based on factors like victim impact statements and prior records. Fenwick, with a history of probation violations dating to 2019 including assault and threats, received no leniency on those grounds.
Detective Kortnie Marsch of the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division spearheaded the probe, coordinating with Calvert County deputies for the initial arrests and U.S. Marshals for Thompson’s capture. Her work involved canvassing over 20 homes, analyzing 911 audio for shot echoes and securing search warrants for Fenwick’s Annapolis residence, where traces of the victim’s blood were found on clothing.