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16-Year-Old Arrested and Charged in Gwynn Oak Double Homicide

Police say surveillance footage, cellphone location records and witness statements placed the suspect near the victims’ home and the case has fueled concern about teen violence.

Overview

  • Two siblings, 15-year-old Giovanna Myrie and 9-year-old Steve Allen, were found shot to death inside their Gwynn Oak home on July 7.
  • Baltimore County police arrested 16-year-old Keith Maurice James Jr. on July 22 and charged him as an adult with two counts of first-degree murder and a firearm offense.
  • Investigators say they used surveillance video, cellphone location data, bus footage and witness interviews to identify James and place him in the area around the time of the killings.
  • Charging documents include witness statements that the older victim had video-chatted with a boy named Keith who was seen holding a handgun and allegedly made threats, though those claims remain unproven in court.
  • A judge denied the suspect’s request for transfer to a juvenile facility and ordered him held without bond as the criminal investigation and pretrial process continue, and authorities are urging tips to Metro Crime Stoppers with a reward offered.