SUSPECT CHARGED IN CARROLL CO. MURDER

(ELDERSBURG, MD) – A suspect is in custody and has been charged with the overnight murder of a co-worker which occurred during an altercation at their cleaning company’s job site in a Carroll County grocery store.

The accused is identified as Zamani A. Lawson, 26, of Jamaica, New York. After consultation with the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office, Lawson is charged with one count of second degree murder. He has been taken to the Carroll County Central Booking Center where he is awaiting his initial appearance before a court commissioner.

The identity of the victim is being withheld at this time because investigators have been unable to locate family members who are believed to be out of state. The victim was a 22-year-old male from Brooklyn, New York.

Shortly before midnight yesterday, a 911 call was received at the Carroll County Emergency Operations Center reporting a stabbing at the Martin’s Supermarket in the 1300-block of Londontown Blvd., Eldersburg, Md. Deputies from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and one of the first deputies who arrived found the suspect standing near the store entrance with what appeared to be blood on his shirt. The suspect, later identified as Lawson, was immediately taken into custody by the deputy.

Deputies were directed by store employees to a storage area in the rear of the store where the victim was found lying on the floor. Deputies observed that the victim was bleeding from several wounds to his upper torso.

Emergency medical personnel were summoned to the scene. The victim was transported by ambulance to the Carroll Hospital Center. He was pronounced dead at the hospital early this morning. His body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.

Investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit responded to the scene to conduct the investigation. They were assisted by members of the State Police Westminster Barrack Criminal Investigation Section and crime scene technicians from the State Police Forensic Sciences Division. Carroll County Sheriff’s Office investigators and crime scene technicians also assisted with the investigation throughout the night. A member of the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office responded to the scene and worked with investigators.

The preliminary investigation indicates the victim and suspect both worked for a cleaning company contracted to provide services at the grocery store. Both had recently been sharing a room in the basement of their supervisor’s home, located about a mile from the grocery store.

Witnesses told investigators the two became involved in a loud argument in the storage area of the grocery store. The argument escalated into a physical altercation. During that altercation, the victim was allegedly stabbed by the accused. The cause of the argument has not been specifically identified at this time.

During a search of the area outside the store, State Police investigators recovered what appears to be a kitchen knife. The knife is being forwarded to the State Police Forensic Sciences Division for evidence processing.

The grocery store is open 24-hours a day, but shoppers were not in the storage area where the assault occurred. The store was closed during the crime scene processing, but later reopened for business.

The investigation is continuing.