In the early hours of a Tuesday morning in Annapolis, Maryland, a celebratory trip turned into a devastating tragedy for the Cummings family. Michelle Jordan Cummings, a 57-year-old woman from Houston, Texas, was in town for a joyous occasion: her son's induction into the U.S. Naval Academy. On June 29, 2021, while sitting on the patio of the Graduate Hotel with her husband and another couple, she was struck and killed by a stray bullet.
The shots were not intended for her; they were fired from nearby Pleasant Street, aimed at two other individuals who were unharmed.
The random act of violence that claimed Michelle's life sent shockwaves through the community. Authorities launched an intensive investigation, which quickly led them to a suspect. Angelo Harrod, a 29-year-old from Annapolis, was arrested just two weeks after the shooting. He was subsequently charged with first and second-degree murder, as well as attempted murder for the individuals he was targeting.
The legal proceedings that followed brought to light Harrod's criminal history, which included eight prior convictions and three pending cases at the time of the shooting. Prosecutors revealed that he had removed an ankle monitor just a month before the fatal incident. In December 2022, a jury found Angelo Harrod guilty of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.
In February 2023, the court handed down a sentence that reflected the gravity of his actions. Angelo Harrod was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Michelle Cummings. He also received a consecutive life sentence for the attempted murder charges. The judge, in delivering the sentence, emphasized the need to ensure Harrod would no longer pose a danger to the public.
