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Obituaries
Family, Friends Shell-Shocked After Maryland Grandmother Of Eight Killed In Virginia Carjacking Family, Friends Shell-Shocked After Maryland Grandmother Of Eight Killed In Virginia Carjacking
Family, Friends Shell-Shocked After Maryland Grandmother Of Eight Killed In Virginia Carjacking A beloved Maryland grandmother of eight and mother to four children who spent part of her life dedicating herself to healthcare services in Virginia left a family reeling after she was killed in a carjacking. Silver Spring resident Melody Waldecker, 54, was involved in a fatal carjacking this week in Sterling by Jose Aguilar-Martinez where she was killed by her own vehicle, police say. Now, friends and well-wishers in the community are coming together in support of her family, which is stunned days after she was identified as the victim by police. "Losing a mother (or) grand…

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by Zak Failla
News
Carjacker Who Killed Maryland Woman In Virginia Was Undocumented Non-Citizen, Sheriff Says Carjacker Who Killed Maryland Woman In Virginia Was Undocumented Non-Citizen, Sheriff Says
Carjacker Who Killed Maryland Woman In Virginia Was Undocumented Non-Citizen, Sheriff Says The 21-year-old man who killed a Maryland grandmother with her own vehicle during a carjacking in Virginia over the weekend is an undocumented non-citizen, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Jose Aguilar-Martinez was arrested this week in connection to the fatal carjacking involving Silver Spring resident Melody Waldecker, 54. Waldecker was in the 21000 block of Towncenter Plaza when she was carjacked at around 11:40 a.m. on July 29 in Sterling by Aguilar-Martinez. According to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, Waldecker was carjacked, then struck by her own vehicle a…

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by Zak Failla
News
Carjacker Who Killed Maryland Woman With Own Vehicle Arrested In Virginia: Sheriff Carjacker Who Killed Maryland Woman With Own Vehicle Arrested In Virginia: Sheriff
Carjacker Who Killed Maryland Woman With Own Vehicle Arrested In Virginia: Sheriff A 21-year-old man who killed a Maryland grandmother with her own vehicle during a carjacking in Virginia over the weekend has been arrested, authorities announced on Tuesday. Jose Aguilar-Martinez, who has no fixed address and most recently was known to stay in Sterling, has been arrested in connection to the fatal carjacking involving Silver Spring resident Melody Waldecker, 54, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. Waldecker was in the 21000 block of Towncenter Plaza when she was carjacked at around 11:40 a.m. on July 29 in Sterling by Aguilar-Martinez. According to the …

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by Zak Failla
News
Six Wanted For Violently Assaulting Unhoused People In Maryland: Police (VIDEO) Six Wanted For Violently Assaulting Unhoused People In Maryland: Police (VIDEO)
Six Wanted For Violently Assaulting Unhoused People In Maryland: Police (Video) A group that preyed on the unhoused community during a series of violent assaults in Montgomery County earlier this month remains at large two weeks later, police say. Surveillance video of six wanted suspects who attacked at least three men and one woman has been released as investigators attempt to identify and locate those involved. The assaults were reported on Tuesday, July 16 in the 800 block of Ellsworth Drive in Silver Spring. Investigators say that at approximately 4:45 a.m. on the morning of the incident, a dark-colored Honda Civic stopped in the area of Ellsworth Drive and Fento…

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by Zak Failla
News
Pedestrian Killed In Crash With Jeep At Montgomery County Intersection Identified By Police Pedestrian Killed In Crash With Jeep At Montgomery County Intersection Identified By Police
Pedestrian Killed In Crash With Jeep At Montgomery County Intersection Identified By Police A 30-year-old man was killed in Montgomery County after being struck by the driver of a Jeep over the weekend, police say. Investigators have identified Aman Abraham Gebreyesus as the victim who was died after being struck at the intersection of University Boulevard East and Langley Drive in Silver Spring. According to the Montgomery County Department of Police, at around 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, officers were called to the intersection, where thy found Gebreyesus suffering from fatal injuries after being struck while crossing the eastbound lanes of University Boulevard. The Silve…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Maryland Community 'Best Place To Live For Families," New Fortune Report Finds Maryland Community 'Best Place To Live For Families," New Fortune Report Finds
Maryland Community 'Best Place To Live For Families," New Fortune Report Finds If you know, you know.  It's no secret to Montgomery County residents, but Fortune made it official, naming Silver Spring the "best place to live for families" in a newly released ranking after landing third last year. "This impressive accolade reflects to what many of us already know - we are committed to fostering a community that supports families in every way possible," Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich wrote in a lengthy statement. "Silver Spring's top ranking as a family-friendly home speaks volumes about the quality of life we offer."  The ranking was based…

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by Zak Failla
News
Tenant Sentenced For Nearly Beating Landlord To Death Over Rent Dispute In Maryland Tenant Sentenced For Nearly Beating Landlord To Death Over Rent Dispute In Maryland
Tenant Sentenced For Nearly Beating Landlord To Death Over Rent Dispute In Maryland The third time was a charm for prosecutors in Montgomery County after a Silver Spring man was convicted earlier this year of the vicious assault of his landlord over rent, and now he's heading to prison for decades. Geofrey Gaitan, 31, was found guilty of second-degree attempted murder in April after two previous trials resulted in hung juries in connection to the near-fatal attack of Nicholas Miranda in April 2020. On Thursday, July 25, the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office announced that he has been sentenced to 27 years in prison. According to court documents, on April 19, 202…

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by Zak Failla
Sports
Root For These 24 Maryland, Virginia Athletes Repping Team USA At Paris Olympics Root For These 24 Maryland, Virginia Athletes Repping Team USA At Paris Olympics
Root For These 24 Maryland, Virginia Athletes Repping Team USA At Paris Olympics A strong contingent of athletes and para athletes from Maryland and Virginia are headed to the Paris Olympics. A total of 24 athletes from Maryland and 15 from Virginia have all qualified for the Olympics and are ready to make their run at the gold when events kick off Friday, July 26. Athletes from Maryland set to sport the Red, White, and Blue during the Olympics:  Phoebe Bacon, of Chevy Chase, in swimming; Aaron Brooks, of Hagerstown, in wrestling; Kevin Durant, of DC, in basketball; Erin Gemmell of Bethesda, in swimming; Noah Hanssen, of Maryland, in wheelchair fencing; Jahmal …

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by Zak Failla
Traffic
Silver Spring Man Charged In Connection To Fatal Hit-Run In Takoma Park Silver Spring Man Charged In Connection To Fatal Hit-Run In Takoma Park
Silver Spring Man Charged In Connection To Fatal Hit-Run In Takoma Park A 34-year-old hit-and-run driver who killed a man in Montgomery County last month has been arrested and charged, police say. Takoma Park resident Candido Noe Rojas Rojas, 42, was fatally struck shortly after 1:15 a.m. on June 3 in the 1100 block of University Boulevard. On Friday, authorities announced that Silver Spring resident Efrain Diaz Romero has been arrested after being identified as the driver.  Officers found Rojas Rojas in the roadway suffering from head trauma on the night of the crash. He was rushed to an area hospital, where he later died from his injuries. …

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by Zak Failla
News
Shooter Caught On Camera Sentenced For Midday Shooting Near Busy Maryland Roadway (VIDEO) Shooter Caught On Camera Sentenced For Midday Shooting Near Busy Maryland Roadway (VIDEO)
Shooter Caught On Camera Sentenced For Midday Shooting Near Busy Maryland Roadway (Video) A 20-year-old man will spend more than a decade in prison following a midday shooting in Maryland in one of Montgomery County's busiest roads, authorities announced on Wednesday. Sorie Mansaray, who has no known address, was sentenced on July 17 to 30 years in prison with all but 12 years suspended following a July 2022 shooting that was caught on camera. On July 22, 2022, prosecutors say that Mansaray shot at a vehicle that pulled onto the 11000 block of New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring, striking and injuring a passenger in the vehicle. The victim was treated at an area hospital…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Teen Demanded Gold Bars From Elderly Maryland Woman To Keep Russia Away From Her Assets: Police Teen Demanded Gold Bars From Elderly Maryland Woman To Keep Russia Away From Her Assets: Police
Teen Demanded Gold Bars From Elderly Maryland Woman To Keep Russia Away From Her Assets: Police A 19-year-old New Yorker implicated in a government-imposter-related scam received nearly a million dollars in gold bars from an elderly Maryland woman who sought to keep Russia away from her money, authorities announced on Tuesday. Brooklyn resident Zhenyong Weng has been arrested for allegedly targeting an 82-year-old Silver Spring woman who reached out to her and allegedly instructed her to transfer her assets into gold bars to keep Russian hands off. The woman complied, police say, and handed off several packages worth an estimated $900,000 in gold bars. Shortly before 5:30 p.m. o…

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by Zak Failla
Business
He Fell In Love With Making Pizza As Teenager, Now This Maryland Chef Is Living His Dream He Fell In Love With Making Pizza As Teenager, Now This Maryland Chef Is Living His Dream
He Fell In Love With Making Pizza As Teenager, Now This Maryland Chef Is Living His Dream What started as a passion project for Chef Edwin Garcia in Maryland landed him a coveted spot inside a Montgomery County food hall, and he's just getting started. El Jefe Wood Fired Pizza has a new home at the Solaire Social food hall in downtown Silver Spring after becoming a renowned mobile kitchen featured at busy farmers markets, wineries, breweries, and other events throughout the region. View this post on Instagram A post shared by El Jefe Woodfired Pizza (@eljefe_woodfiredpizza) Garcia said that during the pandemic he found himself out…

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by Zak Failla