On a cold February morning in 2017, the quiet community of Bel-air, Maryland, was shaken by the tragic death of 28-year-old Marilyn Jaz Scott. Just before 6 a.m. on February 7th, residents of the 200 block of Clarkes Ridge Court were startled by the sound of gunshots. Responding deputies from the Harford County Sheriff's Office discovered Marilyn inside her vehicle, the victim of a fatal shooting.
Marilyn, a staff sergeant in the Air National Guard, was just beginning her day.
Her keys were still in her hand, suggesting she was on her way to start her car for her daily 50-minute commute to the Air National Guard offices in New Castle, Delaware. Tragically, she was ambushed before she could even begin her journey, suffering multiple gunshot wounds. The investigation later revealed a heartbreaking detail: Marilyn was three months pregnant at the time of her death. Both she and her unborn child perished in the attack.
Investigators quickly determined that the shooting was not a random act of violence. With nothing stolen from her person or her vehicle, robbery was ruled out as a motive, leading detectives to believe that Marilyn was specifically targeted. In the years following her death, the case has grown cold, and no arrests have been made. While authorities have indicated that they have narrowed their focus on a potential person of interest, they have not publicly named any suspects due to a lack of sufficient evidence to proceed with a prosecution.
Marilyn was remembered by her family as a driven and independent woman with a radiant personality. A talented athlete, she had earned a bachelor's degree in English from Coppin State University and was aspiring to become an officer in the Air National Guard. Her loved ones continue to seek justice, left with the unbearable knowledge that the person responsible for her death, and that of her unborn child, remains at large. The Harford County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate her murder and encourages anyone with information to come forward.
