Edgewood resident Alton Cumbo, 30, was found guilty following a five-day trial of second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and illegal possession of a firearm following an incident in December 2021 that left one man dead after being shot in the face.
On Dec. 10, 2021, deputies from the Harford County Sheriff's Office were called to Dembytown Road in Joppa, where there was a report of a single-vehicle crash.
Upon arrival, they found a man slumped over in the driver's seat, and further investigation found a bullet wound under his right eye.
Prosecutors say that the first responders were able to initially get a pulse, but the victim was pronounced dead within an hour. His body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy, which determined that his death was caused by the gunshot and it was ruled a homicide.
According to investigators, detectives found "belligerent text messages sent to the victim's phone from a person listed as 'Reject P' who was quickly identified as (Cumbo)."
Police later found cellular data that placed Cumbo in the area at the time of the murder, and he was taken into custody.
While incarcerated, prosecutors made note that Cumbo divulged information regarding the murder to others, which was later corroborated by investigators, leading to a second arrest in connection to the murder.
Cumbo is being held without bail pending his sentencing, which is scheduled for April 22.
"Our community should not be subjected to violence such as this and is safer today with this successful verdict," Harford County State's Attorney Alison Healey said on Frida.y
"I hope this conviction brings some closure to the victim's family and am grateful that our office has taken another murderer off our streets."
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