In the quiet town of Cambridge, Maryland, the life of 16-year-old Ja’Len Woolford was cut tragically short on the evening of November 18, 2021. A student at Cambridge-South Dorchester High School, the young male was fatally shot in what authorities believe was a targeted attack. The incident, which also left a 15-year-old male wounded, unfolded in the 900 block of Camelia Street, sending shockwaves through the community.
Responding to reports of a shooting with multiple victims,
Cambridge City Police officers arrived at the scene to find Woolford, who was pronounced dead. The second victim was transported to a local hospital before being flown to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for treatment of his injuries. The investigation into the double shooting was soon taken over by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit.
In the weeks that followed, the investigation led to the arrests of two suspects, both 16 years old at the time: Daeveon Lat'ee Johnson and Key'marion Da'Qion Ennals. Both teenagers were charged as adults with serious offenses, including second-degree murder and first-degree assault, in connection with Woolford's death and the wounding of the other teen.
The legal proceedings against the two suspects took divergent paths. The case against Key'marion Ennals was marked by controversy. His defense attorneys argued that the Dorchester County State's Attorney's Office had withheld crucial evidence, a claim that ultimately led to the disqualification of the entire prosecutor's office from the case. After spending 631 days in jail, Ennals was released on his own recognizance in October 2023. The prosecution was then handed over to the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office. In a trial that concluded in September 2024, a jury took a mere 18 minutes to acquit Ennals of all charges.
The case against the second suspect, Daeveon Lat'ee Johnson, was resolved through a plea agreement. His testimony became a central element in the case against Ennals. However, the specific details of Johnson's plea deal, including the charges to which he pleaded guilty and the terms of his sentence, have not been publicly disclosed in available online sources.
