State v. Caroline Marie Conway, K15-557
LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County announced that on Tuesday, December 20, 2016, after 10 days of trial and two days of deliberations, a Charles County jury convicted Caroline Marie Conway, 53 of Waldorf, of First Degree Murder of Robert Mange, Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder of Robert Mange, Unlawful Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime of Violence related to the Murder of Robert Mange , Attempted First Degree Murder of Krystal Mange, Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder of Krystal Mange, Unlawful use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime of Violence related to the Attempted Murder of Krystal Mange, First Degree Assault of Krystal Mange, Unlawful use of a Firearm in the Commission of a crime of violence related to the First Degree Assault of Krystal Mange, and Reckless Endangerment of four individuals. Also, despite her plea that she was Not Criminally Responsible for her conduct, the jury found her Criminally Responsible on all charges.
On May 20, 2015, officers responded to the Rock N’ Roll McDonalds located at Mall Circle in Waldorf for a shooting. Once on the scene, officers found two adult victims, Robert Mange, 25 of Smithfield, VA, and his pregnant wife Krystal Mange, 24 of Smithfield, VA, with gunshot wounds. Both victims were transported to an area hospital where Robert Mange was pronounced dead. Krystal Mange, though critically injured, survived. Her unborn child also survived.
An investigation into the shooting revealed that the victims were involved in an ongoing heated child custody battle with former Prince George’s County Police Officer, Richard Conway, the son of Caroline Conway. On the day of the shooting, Caroline Conway jumped into the vehicle of Robert and Krystal Mange and held the couple at gun point with what investigations revealed to be the service weapon registered to Richard Conway. Conway demanded that Robert and Krystal hand over their cellphones so that they were not able to call for help. Robert Mange interrupted Conway’s plan when he reached for the gun. Caroline Conway opened fire and shot the victims several times as they were trying to flee. In addition to shooting both victims, she shot into at least two occupied vehicles that were nearby. Conway then fled the scene and disposed of the clothes and weapon used during the murder. She was later apprehended by officers at her home after being identified by Krystal Mange as the shooter.
A sentencing date has not been set at this time. Conway faces four life sentences plus 100 years. The State previously filed its Notice of Intent to Seek a Sentence of Life Imprisonment Without the Possibility of Parole.