3 arrested, 16-year-old wanted after teen found dead in Howard County, police say
COLUMBIA, Md. -- Three people were arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a teen who was found dead in a car in Columbia, according to Howard County police.
Officers found 17-year-old Lance Carrington dead in the driver's seat of a vehicle on Jan. 14 in the 6000 block of Helen Dorsey Way.
On Wednesday, officers said Janae Baker, 18, Kendall Stagg, 18, and Charles Epperson Jr., 19, were arrested and charged with murder.
Officers are still searching for 16-year-old Jemik Parker, who is believed to be the shooter and has been charged as an adult in a warrant.
According to detectives, the suspects allegedly conspired to rob Carrington of a gun. Police recovered a loaded handgun when they found Carrington dead.
An investigation revealed that Baker was in the vehicle with Carrington when Parker, Stagg and Epperson Jr. approached.
Parker allegedly shot Carrington before all the suspects fled the scene, according to police.
Baker, Stagg and Epperson are being held on no bail, and a $5,000 is being offered for information on Parker's whereabouts.
Crime in Howard County
There were 141 cases of gun violence or firearm violations, and five homicides reported in Howard County between January 2023 and January 2024, according to data from the Howard County Police Department.
In 2024, a murder in Howard County prompted the Maryland school board to take emergency action to mandate that school leaders be informed when a student has committed a serious crime.
The regulation changes came after a 17-year-old Howard High School student was charged with murder. At the time, the superintendent said he was left in the dark about the student's violent past when he transferred from another school district.
According to the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy, crime was up 17.6% in Howard County in 2023 with a total of 5,705 crimes reported.
Maryland as a whole saw a large decrease in violent crime in 2024 and homicides have dropped by 32% since 2021, according to data from the States Attorney's Office.
