Woman Gets Life Without Parole
LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County announced that on Monday, May 8, 2017, visiting Prince George’s County Circuit Court Judge Steven I. Platt sentenced Caroline Marie Conway, 53 of Waldorf, to Life without the possibility of Parole plus 60 years for the 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 other individuals.
Conway was sentenced for the terror she caused at the Rock-n-Roll McDonalds on May 20, 2015. On that date, officers responded to the McDonalds 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. Robert Mange was pronounced dead at the scene. Krystal Mange, though critically injured, survived. Her unborn child also survived. During her medical treatment on the scene, Krystal Mange told police that Caroline Conway shot and killed her husband and shot her.
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, Robert and Krystal Mange were waiting in the McDonalds parking lot to exchange children with Richard Conway when Caroline Conway jumped into the vehicle. She had a gun in her hand and demanded that Robert and Krystal hand over their cellphones so that they were not able to call for help. Caroline Conway also forced Krystal Mange to call her son, Richard Conway and tell him that the meeting time and location for the children’s exchange would be changed. Fearing for himself, his wife and his unborn child, Robert Mange tried to disarm Caroline Conway at which point Caroline opened fire. Both Robert and Krystal fled the car. Robert fell to the ground by the driver side door. Caroline followed Robert out of the vehicle, stood over him and shot him three more times. Caroline then circled around the car looking for Krystal. Caroline found Krystal hiding on the other side of the car and shot her twice.
In addition to shooting both victims, she shot into at least two occupied vehicles that were in the McDonalds drive through line. While fleeing the scene, Conway changed her clothing appearance and later on disposed of the clothes and weapon used during the murder. She was later apprehended by officers at her home.
At sentencing Assistant State’s Attorney Francis J. Granados told the judge, “The defendant will continue to pose a danger to society, especially when it comes to her family. She poses a distinct threat to Krystal Mange. Someone who has no remorse and cannot acknowledge what they did was wrong cannot be rehabilitated. She thought about, planned, and executed the murder and attempted murder. Someone like that has no place in our society. Life without parole is the only sentence that does justice for Robert and Krystal Mange.”
State’s Attorney Tony Covington added, “One thing we certainly can’t condone in society is the actions we saw here. She wasn’t getting her way and she had her solution. Her solution did not work so she did the ultimate. Her and her son planned it and carried it out too. We hope the court incarcerates this person and keeps her away from trying to complete the job.”
Judge Platt told Conway during sentencing before imposing a life without parole sentence, “Your obsession continues and it is unclear at best whether any treatment can eliminate, let alone mitigate, it. The evidence is what it is. I don’t believe you didn’t know what you were doing. The obsession makes you dangerous.”