In the early morning hours of January 9, 2022, the life of 35-year-old Quenten Branch was tragically cut short in Towson, Maryland. Branch was discovered shot on Colbury Road, near Goucher Boulevard, at approximately 4:30 a.m. and succumbed to his injuries at the scene. An investigation into the homicide led to the identification and arrest of three suspects in the months that followed.
Authorities apprehended Stephen Parker, then 20, of Greenbelt, and Kaleb Jackson, also 20, of
Baltimore. Both men were charged with first-degree murder in connection with Branch's death. Parker faced additional charges, including assault, attempted carjacking, and armed robbery. Jackson was also charged with armed robbery. A third suspect, 19-year-old Steven Santiago of Greenbelt, was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
Following the arrests, the legal process began for the three men. Court records indicate that in June 2023, a jury found Steven Santiago guilty of first-degree premeditated murder, second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence. In October 2023, Santiago was sentenced to life in prison for the first-degree murder conviction. He also received a concurrent sentence of twenty years for the firearm charge. The convictions for second-degree murder and first-degree assault were merged with the murder conviction for sentencing purposes. All three men were held without bond while awaiting their respective trials. The outcomes of the legal proceedings for Stephen Parker and Kaleb Jackson were not detailed in the available online sources.
