In the early hours of a Tuesday in Germantown, Maryland, the life of 20-year-old Stephen Alexander Frazier was tragically cut short. On October 23, 2018, at approximately 12:30 a.m., authorities responded to the 12900 block of Churchill Ridge Circle after reports of a shooting. First responders discovered Frazier outside, suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
He was quickly transported to a local hospital, but tragically succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the death of the young man, known affectionately to friends and family as 'Stebo' or 'Scoop,' quickly identified a suspect. Police named 18-year-old Valentino Pritchett as the individual they believed was responsible for Frazier's death. It was also revealed that Pritchett was already wanted for a previous attempted murder case. The motive for the shooting was not immediately released to the public as the investigation continued.
Later that same day, the search for Pritchett came to a dramatic and somber conclusion. Around 7:00 p.m., officers located Pritchett in a vehicle near the intersection of Great Seneca Highway and Mateny Road in Germantown. As law enforcement officers approached the car to apprehend him, Pritchett took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Despite immediate first aid administered by the officers at the scene, he was pronounced dead. The investigation into Frazier's homicide was still considered active and ongoing by authorities even after the death of the primary suspect.
