In the quiet community of Catonsville, Maryland, a tragic event unfolded on September 21, 2018, ending the life of 79-year-old Mary Kathleen Black Terry. A resident of the Charlestown Retirement Community, her death was not the result of natural causes, but a shocking act of violence that also claimed the life of her husband.
On that Friday afternoon, just before 2 p.m., in the parking lot of the retirement community where they lived, Mary's husband, 78-year-old Clifford Wilson Terry,
wheeled her out to their car. In a sudden and unforeseen turn of events, he fatally shot his wife in the upper body before turning the revolver on himself, taking his own life. The couple, who resided in the independent living section of the community, were both pronounced dead at the scene from single gunshot wounds.
The Baltimore County Police who responded to the incident recovered the legally possessed firearm at the scene. Their investigation into the motive behind the murder-suicide continued, though there were no prior reports of domestic issues between the couple. As Clifford Wilson Terry was identified as the perpetrator and was deceased, no arrests were made in connection with Mary Kathleen Black Terry's death. The community was left to grapple with the unexpected and somber nature of the couple's final moments.
