Police accused a 22-year-old man of shooting a millionaire philanthropist at a Maryland senior living facility to death on Feb. 14 while wearing a woman’s wig.
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) announced during a Feb. 25 news conference that officers took Marquise James into custody during a traffic stop the previous day after he allegedly shot at a Maryland State Trooper. Police also said James is a suspect in the murder of 87-year-old Robert Fuller.
Prosecutors charged him with attempted first-degree murder, felony assault, using a firearm amid a crime of violence and other charges, according to WBFF. A staff member who talked with detectives at the facility where Fuller was found dead was allegedly named Marquise James and worked at the facility as a medicine technician.
He allegedly told detectives he’d worked the night before Fuller’s death and had provided medicine to both Fuller and his roommate, WBFF reported. (RELATED: Five Teens Charged In Fatal Shooting Of Oregon Minister Who Died Protecting His Family)
Detectives said they saw someone on surveillance video captured Feb. 14 walking through a courtyard outside the premises and entering it through an exterior door around 5:05 a.m. Around ten minutes later, the person allegedly exited through the same door and disappeared off-frame while running.
Authorities said someone tampered with the door’s alarm sensor and rendered it nonfunctional. Investigators allegedly discovered a small paper towel that appeared to have been used to keep the door open. The door’s alarm sensor was allegedly last functional on Jan. 9, and video shows James used the same exterior doorway twice that day, according to WBFF.
An employee allegedly discovered James inside the building during an overnight check on Feb. 23, despite his shift ending at 11:00 p.m. The employee claimed James triggered an alert, and James fled when confronted over it. Staff allegedly discovered a black napkin and paper towel in a similar position to where they were the day of Fuller’s murder.
Ahead of James’ arrest, police released surveillance video of a potential suspect on Feb. 20. There was no clear description of the suspect’s sex or race at the time, police said in a press release. While executing a pair of Baltimore County search warrants, police allegedly found numerous wigs that matched the one in the video, according to Fox News Digital.
Emergency services responded to the senior living facility on Feb. 14 around 7:34 a.m., and Fuller was found unresponsive inside an apartment located at the facility, police said. While emergency responders attempted to administer life-saving measures, Fuller was pronounced dead at the scene. Police noticed Fuller appeared to have head trauma, and homicide detectives alleged he had been shot.
Fuller was a philanthropist and lawyer from Maine known for his contributions to Cony High School’s Alumni Field complex, the Maine General Medical Center and Kennebec Valley YMCA, among others.
Officials said they do not know why James allegedly killed Fuller, Fox News Digital reported. James has been charged with first-degree murder and is behind bars without bond.
