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A 14-year-old from Severn will be charged as an adult after Kendrick McLellan, 26, was found dead in a vehicle behind a Howard County office building over the weekend.
The teen was taken into custody at his high school in Anne Arundel County, police say.
His arrest comes after a 17-year-old was apprehended - also at his school with a loaded gun in his backpack - earlier this week for his alleged role in McLellan's murder.
Investigators made note that at the time McLellan was killed, the 17-year-old was under supervision of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services and wearing an ankle monitor for a previous incident in another jurisdiction.
Shortly before 2:15 a.m. on Oct. 12, officers on patrol making routine area checks in the 8800 block of Centre Park Drive in Columbia found McLellan dead in the driver's seat of a vehicle, police say.
He was struck several times.
During the investigation, it was determined that McLellan was shot at around 5 p.m. on Oct. 9 in the same location his body was found.
Both are being tried as adults with first-degree murder and other offenses.
Detectives believe that McLellan and at least one of the teen suspects "were acquaintances," though the motive remains under investigation more than a week after he was shot.
Following his death, McLellan's mother called his death "senseless" and is asking for justice to be served in an impassioned plea.
"My son was a funny, outgoing, caring father," she said, according to police. "He was my all. My son would give anything to anybody.
"I’m hurt that he died a senseless death and these kids need to be held accountable.
"I want to thank everyone for all the work they did to make these arrests and for all the prayers," she continued. "At this time, I request that the media respects my family’s privacy.”
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