In the community of Edgewood, Maryland, the name Charles Pugh is connected to two separate and tragic events in recent years. Two men, both residents of Edgewood, met untimely deaths in unrelated incidents of violence.
On a late summer evening, the 19th of August, 2021, the sound of gunfire shattered the quiet of Crimson Tree Way. When sheriff's deputies arrived around 10:10 p.m., they discovered a chaotic scene with multiple victims.
Among them was 29-year-old Charles Robert Pugh Jr., a male who was found suffering from several gunshot wounds. Emergency medical services treated him at the scene before he was airlifted to a nearby hospital for advanced care. Despite their efforts, Pugh succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. Two other individuals were also wounded in the shooting but survived. The investigation into the death of Charles Pugh Jr. was launched immediately by detectives from the Harford County Sheriff's Office. However, the case grew cold, and to this day, it remains an unsolved homicide. Law enforcement officials have continued to appeal to the public for any information that might lead to an arrest and bring closure to Pugh's family. There have been no suspects publicly identified in his death.
Four years earlier, another man from Edgewood also named Charles Pugh lost his life in a violent confrontation. On the afternoon of August 31, 2017, a verbal dispute escalated into a fatal shooting in the 600 block of Harrpark Court. The victim was 48-year-old Charles Pugh, a male resident of the community. According to investigators, Pugh was involved in an argument with another man, which ended when the other man allegedly shot him. After being shot, Pugh's vehicle rolled backward and collided with another car. He was found with multiple gunshot wounds and was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he later died. The investigation into this incident led to a swift arrest. The suspect was identified as 51-year-old Derek Holder, also from Edgewood. Holder was taken into custody and subsequently charged with first and second-degree murder, as well as assault and other related offenses. He was held without bail at the Harford County Detention Center.
