On February 5, 2020, 44-year-old Christopher Lawrence Jones, a male, was found deceased in his Glen Burnie, Maryland, home. His roommate discovered him in his bed with significant upper body trauma and the residence ransacked. An autopsy later confirmed that the cause of death was homicide resulting from blunt force trauma. It was also discovered that Mr.
Jones' 2010 Toyota Camry was missing from the home.
The investigation quickly led authorities to identify a suspect, 22-year-old Joseph Robert Mitchell Willis of Pasadena. The victim's roommate had mentioned that a friend known as 'Joe' from the Brooklyn Park area might have taken the vehicle. Later that same day, detectives with the Anne Arundel County Police Department's Fugitive Apprehension Team located Mr. Jones' stolen vehicle. When they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the driver, later confirmed to be Willis, opened fire on the detectives.
A chaotic and dangerous series of events unfolded, resulting in two detectives being shot and a 16-hour manhunt for the suspect. Detective Scott Ballard, a 22-year veteran, was the first to be shot. As the pursuit continued into the Orchard Beach and Stoney Beach communities, Detective Ian Preece, a 13-year veteran, was also wounded by gunfire from Willis. Both detectives sustained serious, life-threatening injuries but ultimately survived. The manhunt, which involved multiple law enforcement agencies, caused local schools to close and residents to shelter in place.
Following an intensive search, Joseph Willis was apprehended without further incident at a residence on River Bank Court. Upon his arrest, Willis confessed to the murder of Christopher Jones and the attempted murder of the two detectives. Inside the home where Willis was found, police also discovered various illegal drugs. Two other individuals, Shawn Ethan Taylor and Zachary Taylor, were also taken into custody at the residence.
Joseph Willis was charged with first-degree murder for the death of Christopher Jones and two counts of attempted first-degree murder for shooting the detectives. On November 24, 2020, Willis entered a guilty plea to all charges. Subsequently, he was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences in prison.
