Baltimore Man, 21, Pleads Guilty To Murder, Attempted Murders In Crime Spree
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A Baltimore man pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree murder and two attempted murders in connection with a Feb. 2021 crime spree, the Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City said.
21-year-old Daquan Murphy's combined sentence is life, suspending all but 45 years, and five years of probation set to run concurrently, officials said.
Officers responded on Feb. 10, 2021 to the 3400 block of East Lombard Street, where they found a man lying in the street and shot in the chest. The victim, identified as James Bentley, died in the hospital. Investigators learned Murphy used a car stolen hours before the shooting, and that was also used in a commercial robbery.
Murphy was arrested driving that stolen vehicle.
Two days before the murder, a man was shot in the head at the 900 block of E. Jeffrey Street. Investigators connected Murphy to the crime through fingerprints left at the scene.
And a week before the shooting on Jeffrey Street, officers found a man shot multiple times in his car on the 5200 block of Loch Raven Boulevard. Murphy admitted to being part of a robbery plan where the victim was the target, officials said.
"The string of violent offenses Mr. Murphy committed in such a short amount of time is telling of his brazenness and lack of empathy for his fellow man," said State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby. "I applaud ASA Wisthoff-Ito's diligent coordination with BPD and our federal partners to apprehend and hold Mr. Murphy accountable for his violent behavior so he will no longer threaten public safety in our city."
Murphy is also pending federal charges for an armed carjacking.
