On the evening of September 27, 2018, Timothy Moriconi, a 25-year-old male, was walking home in his Federal Hill neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland. He had just left a relative's house and was on the 1200 block of Riverside Avenue when he was shot and killed. The incident was later described by police as a robbery attempt that had gone tragically wrong.
The investigation into Moriconi's death was swift, aided significantly by community cooperation and surveillance footage.
Investigators were able to identify a suspect vehicle, a compact Chevrolet with temporary tags. This lead proved crucial, as officers were able to locate the vehicle the following day. Inside were two individuals and a handgun. Ballistic testing confirmed that the gun was the weapon used to murder Timothy Moriconi.
The two occupants of the vehicle, 23-year-old Deandre Devon Sleet and 23-year-old Kiara Treasure Wesley, were arrested. Sleet was charged with a litany of offenses, including first and second-degree murder, robbery, and various firearm charges. Wesley was initially charged with having a handgun in her vehicle, with the potential for additional charges. It was later revealed that Wesley acted as the getaway driver. There was no indication that Moriconi knew either of the suspects.
During the legal proceedings, Kiara Wesley pleaded guilty to her role in the murder and agreed to testify against Sleet. In her testimony, she stated that she was driving Sleet on the night of the murder and that on several occasions, he would ask her to stop, and he would return with other people's property. On the night of Moriconi's death, she said Sleet ran back to the car and told her to drive. Days later, upon seeing a picture of the victim, Sleet allegedly told her, 'That's the guy I shot.'
Deandre Sleet was found guilty of eight charges, including felony murder and attempted robbery. He was sentenced to life in prison plus 25 years. Kiara Wesley received a sentence of life in prison with all but 15 years suspended, to be followed by five years of supervised probation for her involvement in the crime.
