Authorities have discovered that the three victims found dead in a Maryland house fire were fatally shot, with initial findings suggesting that the crime was premeditated and connected to a drug theft attempt. The victims, two women and one man, died from gunshot wounds, according to the preliminary autopsy reports.
The investigation, conducted by the Maryland State Police, suggests that the deaths were caused by gunshots. The precise details of the cause and manner of death are still pending further analysis by the Chief Medical Examiner's office in Baltimore, as confirmed in a press release issued by the police on November 29.
Investigators have also confirmed that accelerants were detected at the scene of the fire, located near Clear Spring, Maryland, and it has been determined that the fire was deliberately set. Court documents indicate that the blaze originated in two separate areas of the house: the front porch and a bedroom.
Authorities announced on November 29 that four individuals have been charged in connection with the triple murder, and further arrests are possible. The victims have been identified as Brittany Nicole Ray, 31; Harold Tyrese Nathaniel Flichman, 36; and Brianna Mae Weishaar, 25. All three victims were reportedly residents of the house on National Pike.
Those facing charges include Darnell Hawkins Jr., 47, from Essex, Maryland; Tony Smith (also known as Tony Brandon Smith), 43, from Hagerstown; Maurice Samuel Mouzon, 46, from Brooklyn, Maryland; and Kierra Renee White, 35, from Glen Burnie, Maryland. The accused individuals are currently held without bond in various detention facilities.
Hawkins and Smith have been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Ray, Flichman, and Weishaar. Notably, Hawkins had been released on parole just a few weeks before the incident, having served time for a 1997 first-degree murder conviction.
The murders occurred on November 18, when firefighters responded to a house fire at approximately 4:30 a.m. at the home located on 13811 National Pike, east of Clear Spring. Upon arrival, they discovered the three bodies. Ray and Flichman were found in the basement, while Weishaars body was located on the first floor. Both Ray and Flichman had apparent gunshot wounds, and multiple shell casings were found near their bodies.
Ring camera footage from around 2:00 a.m. on November 18 shows a group of approximately six people, including Ray, arriving at the home. Moments later, two additional individuals, believed to be Flichman and Weishaar, arrived. Around 4:10 a.m., surveillance footage captures Hawkins allegedly dragging Weishaar into the house. The footage also shows the suspect instructing Weishaar to "clean everything" in the house before she is forced inside.
A wallet containing identification for Darnell Hawkins was found near Flichmans body. The investigation also uncovered text messages and phone records linking Smith and other suspects to the incident. One message from Weishaar, sent the day before the murders, reported that "Tone shot at me tonight," which pointed to Smith as a key figure in the crime.
Further phone data showed that a phone linked to "Tone" was present in the area around the time of the murders. Additionally, authorities discovered a witness who linked Smith to a robbery plan involving drug dealers, which was allegedly the motive behind the murders.
Mouzon faces charges related to conspiracy to commit armed robbery, drug distribution, and illegal possession of a handgun. Surveillance footage from a November 17 traffic stop helped police link Mouzon to the events surrounding the murders. He was later found in possession of fentanyl, and his connection to the crime was further solidified by testimony from a witness who described him as "Black" and identified him as a participant in the planned robbery.
White, who allegedly drove the suspects to the scene, is facing charges of being an accessory after the fact for the first-degree murders. According to White's statements, she picked up two men from the Baltimore area and drove them to the scene of the crime, where they were seen covered in blood by a witness.
The investigation continues, with further developments expected as more evidence and testimonies are examined. The authorities have urged anyone with information related to the case to come forward.
