In the autumn of 2016, concern grew for 62-year-old Martin Edward Mullineaux when he failed to show up for his job at Green Valley Marketplace for two consecutive days. This uncharacteristic absence prompted his manager to request a wellness check at his Columbia, Maryland, condominium. On September 13, 2016, Howard County police entered his residence in the 8700 block of Hayshed Lane to a grim discovery.
Mullineaux was found deceased on his bedroom floor, the victim of a brutal attack that included scores of stab wounds and blunt force trauma to the head. There were no signs of forced entry, suggesting he may have known his assailant.
The investigation quickly focused on 28-year-old Joseph P. Loverde, a man of no fixed address with whom Mullineaux had a personal relationship. Authorities learned that Mullineaux had benevolently allowed Loverde to live with him periodically, and that their cohabitation was not always peaceful, with a documented domestic dispute in March of that year. The evidence against Loverde mounted as investigators discovered he had been using Mullineaux's credit cards at various locations in the days following the murder, with surveillance video capturing the transactions. Furthermore, Loverde was believed to be in possession of the victim's cell phone and his Kia Sorento, which had been missing from the residence.
The day after Mullineaux's body was found, police located and arrested Loverde as he was walking along North Crain Highway in Glen Burnie. The stolen Kia was subsequently found in a nearby parking lot. Faced with overwhelming evidence, Loverde was charged with first and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and vehicle theft. He was held without bond at the Howard County Detention Center.
On October 23, 2017, the day his trial was set to begin, Joseph P. Loverde pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in Howard County Circuit Court. On January 17, 2018, a judge sentenced him to life in prison with all but 45 years suspended. During the sentencing hearing, the prosecutor described Loverde's actions as 'brutal and callous,' highlighting that his behavior after the murder showed no regard for the life he had taken. As part of his sentence, Loverde is required to undergo a mental health evaluation and treatment. Upon his eventual release, he will be subject to five years of supervised probation, during which he must abstain from alcohol and illegal substances. The judge recommended that he serve at least half of his 45-year sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
