In the early hours of a Thursday morning in Princess Anne, Maryland, the life of Earl Thomas Marshall III, a 32-year-old male, was brought to a violent and abrupt end. Shortly before 1 a.m. on May 3, 2018, the sound of gunfire shattered the pre-dawn quiet, prompting multiple 911 calls from residents in the area of Chestnut Circle. When officers from the Princess Anne Police Department arrived at Marshall's home, they were met with a grim scene.
The front door stood open, and just inside, they found Marshall lying on the floor with an apparent gunshot wound. Emergency medical services were unable to save him, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene. His body was later transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy to officially determine the cause of death.
The preliminary investigation, soon taken over by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit, began to piece together Marshall's final moments. It's believed that he had returned to his residence shortly after midnight. Only about ten minutes later, a knock came at his door. When Marshall opened it, a confrontation ensued with an unknown individual. This altercation quickly escalated, culminating in the fatal shooting. The suspect, described only as a man wearing dark clothing, fled the scene immediately after the shot was fired, disappearing into the night.
In the days that followed, investigators worked diligently to uncover a motive for the shooting and to identify the person responsible. They interviewed witnesses and canvassed the neighborhood, gathering what information they could. Crime scene technicians processed the residence, collecting evidence that was sent to the State Police Forensic Sciences Division crime laboratory for analysis. The Somerset County State's Attorney was also present at the scene, assisting with the investigation. Despite these efforts and a reward of up to $1,000 offered for information leading to an arrest, the case has grown cold. The motive behind the killing remains undetermined, and no suspects have been publicly identified or arrested in connection with the murder of Earl Thomas Marshall III. The community of Princess Anne was left shocked and unsettled by the violent intrusion, and for Marshall's family and friends, the search for answers and justice continues.
