Third suspect identified in murder of 17-year-old Elias Cieslak
PARKVILLE -- An 18-year-old horse jockey was extradited from West Virginia to Baltimore County to face charges in connection to the murder of a Parkville High School student.
On April 23, just before 10 p.m., Baltimore County police found Elias Cieslak, 17, behind a shopping center on Belair Rd. suffering from a gunshot wound.
He died after being taken to a nearby hospital.
Details from the murder investigation are outlined in charging documents for Bryson Butterfly, which reveal he allegedly conspired with two others to set up Cieslak in a robbery.
Investigators used cell phone records, corresponding tower pings and security camera footage to place the trio together.
Those records allegedly show the suspects communicating minutes before the murder, then their phones were tracked traveling to the same location in Baltimore City after fleeing the scene. They ultimately continued talking in the days following the murder, according to charging documents.
Butterfly allegedly told police their phones were stolen during the robbery, however, records indicate his phone was in use after the murder.
Baltimore County Police said 32-year-old David Lofton and a 17-year-old who worked with Butterfly carried out the crime.
After Lofton was interviewed by police, he allegedly admitted to the robbery but denied knowing who fired the gun that took Cieslak's life.
All three face charges for murder, armed robbery and using a firearm in the commission of a crime.
Butterfly is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center after being extradited from West Virginia.
U.S. Marshals confirm information led their investigators to Hollywood Casino Racetrack in Charles Town earlier this month where Butterfly was a known Jockey.
