In the early hours of October 1, 2020, tragedy struck at a 7-Eleven on Middletown Road in Waldorf, Maryland, forever altering the lives of the Maher family. Lynn Marie Maher, a 49-year-old woman, was working as a clerk when a man entered the store and announced a robbery.
The lone assailant, brandishing a handgun, demanded money from Maher. She complied with his demands, emptying the cash register and handing over the money.
After she showed the robber the empty till, he pointed the gun at her and fired a single, fatal shot to her head. The suspect then fled the scene with $249.69. Lynn Marie Maher died at the scene.
The Charles County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation, describing the suspect as a Black male with a slender build, wearing a white facemask, a dark-hooded sweatshirt, jeans, and dark tennis shoes. Within weeks, detectives identified Gregory DeShawn Collins, Jr., a 22-year-old from Waldorf, as the primary suspect. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and a significant reward was offered for information leading to his capture.
Through a coordinated effort with the U.S. Marshals Task Force, Collins was located and apprehended in Georgia on October 19, 2020. He was extradited back to Maryland to face charges. DNA evidence and surveillance footage, which showed Collins wearing a distinct pair of blue jeans and blue tennis shoes, linked him to the crime.
In May 2022, a Charles County jury found Gregory DeShawn Collins, Jr. guilty of first-degree felony murder, armed robbery, and related charges. On August 2, 2022, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 20 years.
