In the fall of 2021, a workplace dispute at a senior living facility in Capitol Heights, Maryland, escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 46-year-old Mackeda Evans. On the morning of October 8th, Evans, an employee at the Gateway Village senior living facility, was fatally shot along with her colleague, Michelle Boateng, who was also 46.
The incident prompted a significant police response, including the evacuation of the complex and a temporary lockdown of a nearby elementary school.
The investigation swiftly led to the arrest of a resident of the facility, 63-year-old Roy Batson. According to police reports, the tragic events stemmed from a prior argument between Batson and Evans earlier that month concerning a violation notice. On the morning of the shooting, Batson allegedly confronted Evans again. He later admitted to police that he returned to his apartment to retrieve a gun before shooting both Evans and Boateng on the first floor of the building.
Capitol Heights Police initially responded to a disturbance call at the facility shortly after 9 a.m. and discovered the two victims with gunshot wounds. Both women were pronounced dead at the scene. Law enforcement officers located Batson in a third-floor hallway, and he was taken into custody without incident less than an hour later. A gun was recovered in the same hallway.
Following his arrest, Roy Batson was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and was held without bond. The Prince George's County Police Department took over the homicide investigation, as is standard procedure for homicides occurring within the town of Capitol Heights.
