In the winter of 2016, just a few days before Christmas, the life of 21-year-old Tijae Barnes was tragically cut short. On the evening of December 22nd, two masked men forcibly entered her home in the 3600 block of Lyndale Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. The intruders kicked in the back door and, once inside, opened fire, fatally wounding Barnes. At the time of the horrific home invasion, there were several children present in the upstairs area of the house.
Fortunately, none of the children were physically harmed during the incident.
Investigators quickly determined that the violent intrusion was not a random act. Detectives came to believe that the suspects were targeting another individual who was known to frequent or reside at the home. Tijae Barnes, it appeared, was not the intended victim of the attack. The search for those responsible led police to two brothers, 20-year-old Trevante Mahoney and his 17-year-old brother, Tikoy Mahoney.
Within days of the shooting, both Trevante and Tikoy Mahoney were taken into custody. They were subsequently charged with a litany of serious offenses, including first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, first-degree burglary, and various weapons charges. Following their arrest, both brothers were held without bond. Court records would later show that Trevante Mahoney had prior arrests for gun and drug possession. The investigation revealed that the gunmen were looking for 'Rae,' the nickname of Raekwon Wilson, who was in a relationship with Barnes. One of the children present during the incident, Barnes's 12-year-old sister, was able to identify one of the intruders by his voice and eyes as Trevante Mahoney. Ultimately, Trevante Mahoney was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, receiving two consecutive life sentences.
