CHARGES FILED AGAINST QUEEN ANNES COUNTY MAN IN STEVENSVILLE HOMICIDE ARSON

(Stevensville, MD) – A continuing investigation by the Maryland State Police, the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney has resulted in an arrest warrant for a Queen Anne’s County man for a homicide-arson yesterday morning that took the life of an 82 year old woman.

The accused is identified as Thomas Scherer, 82, of the 300-block of Oxbow Drive in Stevensville, Maryland. After consultation with the Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, Maryland State Police homicide investigators obtained a warrant charging Scherer with first and second degree murder, first degree arson, and first and second degree assault. The charges will be served upon Scherer’s release from Easton Memorial Hospital where he remains a patient.

The victim’s body was transported to the Office of the State Medical Examiner for an autopsy. The autopsy today revealed the elderly woman died from blunt force trauma and the death was ruled a homicide.

State Police from the Centreville Barracks responded to a 911 call at 10:00 a.m. yesterday for a possible assault and house fire at Scherer’s residence in Stevensville. When police arrived, Thomas Scherer was standing outside of the burning home.

As firefighters extinguished the fire, they found Scherer’s wife, Magda Scherer, 82, of the same address, in the master bedroom. She appeared to have suffered blunt force trauma injuries to the back of the head. Emergency personnel attempted to resuscitate her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Thomas Scherer was transported by ambulance from the scene to Easton Memorial Hospital for a medical evaluation. He remains at the hospital where he is being guarded by state troopers from the Centreville Barrack.

Deputy state fire marshals conducted a detailed fire investigation. Preliminary results indicate the fire was intentionally set. A motive has not yet been determined.

The investigation continues…