State v. Bryan Javier Aquice, C-08-CR-17-000054
LA PLATA, MD—Tony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County announced that on Friday, July 27, 2018, Judge William R. Greer, Jr., sentenced Bryan Javier Aquice, 25, to a sentence of Life plus 50 years for the murder of Michael Beers and other related charges.
The Court imposed a sentence of Life for the murder of Mr. Beers and two 25 year sentences for the first degree assaults of Cheryl Krehling and Edward Glaze, Jr. All of the sentences are to run consecutively. Aquice was convicted by a Charles County jury on April 13, 2018 after 5 days of trial.
At that trial, some of the evidence the jury heard was the following: On January 12, 2016, officers responded to the 11500 block of Terrace Drive in Waldorf for the report of a shooting. While on the scene, officers found Michael Beers with multiple gunshot wounds to his body, as well as bruises and abrasions. Beers was pronounced dead on scene.
An investigation revealed that two masked men, one armed with a gun, arrived at the house earlier that evening in attempt to rob Beers. Upon entrance to the residence, the masked men discovered victim Edward Glaze, Jr., then physically assaulted him and demanded him to enter a room occupied by Beers and co-defendant Rena Crandell. Krehling, the owner of the residence, was also forced to enter the room with a gun to her head.
While in the room, a struggle ensued between Beers, Glaze, and both masked men. During the struggle, a ski-mask was removed from one of the men, revealing his face. Beers was shot multiple times at close range by the masked suspect during the struggle. The masked suspect was also shot during the struggle. The other occupants of the room were able to escape or remain unharmed. After shooting Beers, the two suspects, as well as Crandell, fled the scene together.
The ski mask that fell off during the struggle was sent to the Maryland State Police laboratory. Results from a DNA analysis of the mask were consistent with co-defendant Reigel Paul Wamack being present during the attempted robbery and murder. Wamack also fit the homeowner’s description of the unmasked man.
Aquice was identified as the masked shooter by Wamack’s testimony, which was corroborated by cell phone records, as well as medical records indicating Aquice went to the hospital within 12 hours of the murder to be treated for his injury.
During his argument that the Court should impose a life sentence, Assistant State’s Attorney John Stackhouse, emphasizing the horror of this crime, told the judge that the Defendant, during a home-invasion robbery, shot Beers in the leg to compel him to give up the money they wanted. He and his co-defendant physically fought with the victim and then the defendant executed the man by shooting him at point blank range in the head. He also emphasized that Aquice could have stopped at any time – instead he killed a father of three in the most violent way imaginable. The defendant, by his malicious, premeditated action, has earned and deserves a life sentence.
Covington, commenting on the Court’s sentence said, “I have long believed that anyone found guilty by a jury of First Degree Murder should forfeit his right to walk around this planet as a free man. The Court’s sentence ensures this convicted murderer will be behind bars for the rest of his days. That is how it should be – that is justice.”
###