In the quiet community of Pomfret, Maryland, a late summer evening in August of 2019 was shattered by a tragic act of violence that claimed the lives of a beloved couple. Vickie Danita Pickeral, a 54-year-old female, and her husband, Gregory Bruce Pickeral, age 53, were fatally shot in their home on Bensville Road. The cherished grandparents were the victims of a domestic dispute that escalated to a devastating conclusion.
The suspect was identified by authorities as their 42-year-old
son-in-law, Mark McKinley Hughes Jr. of Indian Head. Investigations revealed that Hughes had gone to the Pickeral's residence and opened fire, killing both Vickie and Gregory. The violence was rooted in domestic turmoil, as Hughes's wife, the Pickerals' daughter, had recently left him and sought refuge at her parents' home. It is believed Hughes went to the house in search of his wife, who was not present at the time of the shooting.
Following the initial attack, the tragedy compounded when relatives arrived at the home. Hughes fired upon their vehicle, injuring his own 11-year-old son. The boy managed to escape the scene and find help at a nearby convenience store; his injuries were determined to be non-life-threatening. The woman driving the vehicle was also injured but not by gunfire.
After the shootings, Hughes fled the scene in the Pickerals' car. His escape was cut short when he was involved in a single-vehicle accident several miles away in La Plata. When law enforcement arrived at the crash site, they discovered Hughes deceased inside the car from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The case was ultimately classified as a double murder-suicide, bringing a grim and final chapter to the horrific events of that night.
