In a tragic turn of events on July 5, 2022, Richard Evan Cantwell III, a 35-year-old male, lost his life in his Princess Anne, Maryland, home. The circumstances of his death were the result of a violent altercation that ended in a murder-suicide, leaving a family and community in mourning.
On that Tuesday afternoon, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Maryland State Police responded to a call for a shooting at a residence on West Post Office Road.
Upon their arrival, they discovered the bodies of Richard Cantwell and his 61-year-old stepfather, Michael Jarman. Both men resided in the home along with Cantwell's mother and were pronounced deceased at the scene from apparent gunshot wounds.
The ensuing investigation, led by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit, revealed that a verbal argument had occurred between Cantwell and Jarman shortly before the shooting. Evidence gathered at the scene by the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division indicated that Jarman fatally shot his stepson before taking his own life. The Somerset County State's Attorney's Office was notified and responded to the scene to assist in the investigation.
Richard, known to friends and family as Ricky, was a carpenter and electrician who had graduated from Wicomico High School. He was remembered for his love of spending time with family and friends and for his cherished rottweiler, Bear. The investigation into the incident concluded that it was a domestic dispute that tragically escalated, with no other suspects sought in the case.
