Man found guilty of 2020 murder in Columbia

BALTIMORE - Jerome Tyrell Thomas, 31, was found guilty of a 2020 murder in Columbia

Thomas was convicted of first-degree murder and several firearm-related charges by a Howard County jury for the shooting death of 24-year-old Tayvon McNeill.

McNeill was shot and killed on May 1, 2020.

Police said officers responded around 12:15 a.m. to the intersection of Governor Warfield Parkway and Twin Rivers Road for a report of a fight among several people with shots fired.

Police found McNeill, from Baltimore, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in a nearby parking lot in the 10000 block of Nightmist Court.

McNeill was taken to the hospital where he later died.

Police believe the shooting originated from an argument earlier in the evening between acquaintances of Thomas and McNeill.

Through investigation, detectives collected surveillance footage in the area and developed Thomas as a suspect.

Thomas took off to North Carolina but was eventually taken into custody at a motel in Annapolis on May 15, 2020.

"The loss of Anthony McNeill's life was tragic and unnecessary. The defendant, Jerome Thomas, had a prior criminal record and did not learn from his past mistakes. Instead, he chose to commit one of the worst crimes a person can commit upon another by violently taking the life of McNeill," said State's Attorney Rich Gibson. "The state has filed for life without the possibility of parole in this case and we intend to ask the court to hold Thomas accountable for his actions to the maximum extent of the law."