In the early evening of October 6, 2021, a burst of violence shattered the relative calm outside a store on the 7200 block of Landover Road. When Prince George's County police officers arrived around 7:15 p.m., they found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. This man was identified as 37-year-old Matthew Grant Hayes, a male resident of Hyattsville.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Matthew Grant Hayes, born on July 23, 1984, in Alamogordo, New Mexico, was a man with a history of honorable service in the U.S. Navy. As a Ceremonial Guardsman, he participated in significant national events, including the state funeral of President Ronald Reagan and the official opening of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Known to be a loving and funny individual, he was a locksmith by trade and a devoted father to his children. His interests were varied, ranging from animals and automobiles to technology and travel.
The investigation into the shooting quickly began, led by the Prince George's County Homicide Unit. Less than three weeks later, on October 25, 2021, an arrest was made in connection with the killing. The suspect was identified as 48-year-old Curtis James Lay of Landover. According to the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that Lay and Hayes were known to each other, and the fatal shooting occurred during a physical altercation between the two men.
Following his arrest, Curtis James Lay was charged with first and second-degree murder. He was subsequently held at the Department of Corrections on a no-bond status, awaiting further legal proceedings. Authorities encouraged anyone with additional information relevant to the investigation to come forward and contact detectives or to leave anonymous tips through Crime Solvers.
