In the early evening of December 6, 2022, a dispute culminated in the tragic death of 65-year-old Leon Steadham in Capitol Heights, Maryland. At approximately 7:10 p.m., police responded to reports of a shooting in the 1200 block of Abel Avenue. Upon arrival, they discovered Steadham in the roadway, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was quickly transported to a local hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The investigation into the
shooting pointed to an ongoing conflict between Steadham and an acquaintance. This dispute is believed to have escalated to the fatal encounter on that Tuesday evening. Authorities identified 37-year-old Michael Malachi Ford of Washington, D.C., as the suspect in the homicide. The preliminary investigation suggested that the two men knew each other prior to the deadly shooting.
Following the investigation, Michael Malachi Ford was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and other related charges in connection with Leon Steadham's death. At the time of the announcement of his arrest in early January 2023, Ford was in custody in the District of Columbia, awaiting extradition to Prince George's County to face the charges against him.
