Man sentenced to 20 years for shooting of off-duty Howard County deputy in Federal Hill

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore man convicted in the deadly shooting of an off-duty Howard County sheriff's deputy has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

A jury convicted Jewel Crowder, 41, in June on the following charges in the death of Ryan Demby: voluntary manslaughter, use of a handgun during the commission of a crime, and reckless endangerment.

That same jury acquitted Crowder of first-degree and second-degree murder charges.

For the first five years of Crowder's sentence, he will not be eligible for parole.

The sentencing hearing was held entirely on Zoom. Before the sentence was handed down, Ciruit Court Judge Yvette Brown questioned Crowder's actions.

"If he was afraid, he had many opportunities to remove himself," Brown said. She also described the amount of times he shot Demby as "above and beyond."

That fateful night

Demby, 23, was out with one of his friends in Baltimore's Federal Hill neighborhood on Sept. 29, 2023.

During the trial, state prosecutors said there was an altercation in Wayward Bar involving Demby's friend, who was kicked out of the bar. They said another dispute between Demby's group and the bouncer of that bar began and continued throughout the night.

At one point, walking down Charles Street, surveillance video showed in the trial depicted Demby taking out a concealed weapon in the street before putting it back in his waistband.

State prosecutors said Crowder saw Demby's gun while in another bar and then inserted him into the dispute.

Demby was shot seven times, fficers found him shortly after midnight.

"We're not saying Demby's behavior was perfect," a state prosecutor said in Thursday's sentencing hearing, calling Crowder's actions "unreasonable and overkill."

Crowder and his defense attorney argued he was in fear and defense of the bouncer.

Grieving the loss

Several members of Demby's family described how they're still in pain over his death.

"Loss is a constant reminder of the emptiness in our lives," said Sam Demby, Ryan Demby's father.

Adrian Demby, Ryan Demby's mother, said her son would do "anything for anyone," and he was, "everybody's friend."

"[Crowder] murdered a person with dignity. He killed him in cold blood," she said.

Crowder also made a statement before his sentencing, telling the family he's sorry for everything that's happened.

"I hope this gives y'all closure," he said.