Keith Curtis, 57, who served time for the brutal 1995 killing of a retired Johns Hopkins professor, was sentenced to 20 years for robbery and firearm possession by a Baltimore City judge, who went 10 years beyond the sentencing guidelines, authorities announced.
The decision was based on Curtis’ violent history and failure to reform, the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office said.
The November 2023 robbery that landed Curtis back behind bars was reported at ACE Hardware on Homestead Street in Baltimore, where Curtis had previously worked.
Prosecutors say Curtis confronted a former coworker at the register, lifted his shirt to reveal a handgun, and demanded the victim open the cash register.
The victim, who recognized his assailant, struggled to comply due to Parkinson’s disease; however, Curtis, undeterred, told him he had “30 seconds” to open the drawer.
Curtis eventually made off with less than $100.
Weeks later, during a search of Curtis’ home, investigators said that Baltimore police recovered a loaded handgun, which he was barred from possessing due to his prior conviction.
“It is evident that (Curtis) did not reform during his prior incarceration and continued to wreak havoc in our communities,” State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said. “This lengthy sentence is what he deserves for his repeated violent behavior.”
Curtis was previously convicted of first-degree murder in 1995 for beating William H. McClain, a retired professor, to death during a robbery on McClain’s front porch in Oakenshawe.
He will serve the first 10 years of his sentence without the possibility of parole.
"I hope that he uses this next period of incarceration to reflect on whether the contents of a cash register were truly worth sacrificing his freedom," Bates added.
Want breaking news in the DMV as it happens, or want to contribute? Join the DMV All Incidents Facebook group.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Towson and receive free news updates.