James Jerome Adams Jr. and Adult Indicted for the Murder of Marcus Anthony Day in Leonardtown, MD

Accident – Death – Obituary News : **LEONARDTOWN, MD -** In a significant development, two individuals have been indicted for their involvement in the murder of 26-year-old Marcus Anthony Day, which took place on April 4, 2023. The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division has been tirelessly working to bring justice to the victim and their efforts have led to the indictment of 19-year-old James Jerome Adams Jr., a juvenile from Great Mills, Maryland, and an adult who was a juvenile at the time of the incident from Bushwood, Maryland. Both individuals have been charged as adults.

The indictments came as a result of ongoing investigation by the detectives. At the time of the indictments, Adams and the juvenile were already incarcerated on unrelated matters. Detective Forinash, W. #344, served the indictments to Adams and the juvenile on November 22, 2023, at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center. Furthermore, a detainer has been lodged against the third incarcerated individual, who is currently held in a corrections facility outside of St. Mary’s County.

The original incident occurred on April 4, 2023, when the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of shots fired in the parking lot of the Great Mills Sheetz located at the 20700 block of Old Great Mills Road. Shortly after, they also received a report of a victim with multiple gunshot wounds at the MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital in Leonardtown. The victim, identified as Marcus Anthony Day, was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.

Since then, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Division has been actively investigating the case. They urge anyone with additional information about the incident to come forward and contact Detective Andrew Burgess at 301-475-4200, ext. 78041 or via email at andrew.burgess@stmaryscountymd.gov. Additionally, individuals with cellphone videos or images related to the incident are encouraged to submit their evidence anonymously through the Sheriff’s Office’s Citizen Upload Video Evidence Portal at https://www.firstsheriff.com/uploadevidence/. To provide anonymous tips, citizens can also contact Crime Solvers at 301-475-3333 or text a tip to “TIP239” along with their message to “CRIMES” (274637). Informants providing information leading to an arrest or indictment are eligible for an award of up to $1,000 through the Crime Solvers Program.

In a subsequent update on May 5, 2023, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office made another arrest in connection with the murder case. The detectives arrested a 15-year-old male juvenile from Lexington Park, who was located and apprehended in King George County, VA. The juvenile will be charged as an adult with several offenses, including First-Degree Murder, Second-Degree Murder, Use of a Firearm in a Violent Crime, First-Degree Assault, Second-Degree Assault, and Possession of a Firearm by a Minor. However, due to a recent change in Maryland law, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office cannot disclose the identity of the juvenile or release a booking photo until a waiver hearing is conducted to determine the jurisdiction of the case.

Sheriff Steve Hall expressed his gratitude to the King George County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Christopher Giles for their cooperation and assistance during the investigation. The collaborative efforts between the law enforcement agencies have played a vital role in bringing those responsible for the heinous crime to justice.

The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to resolving this case and ensuring that justice is served for Marcus Anthony Day and their loved ones. With the indictments and arrest, there is hope that the investigation will move forward towards a successful prosecution..