In the early morning hours of July 2, 2016, a violent encounter at the Turf Motel in Laurel, Maryland, claimed the life of 29-year-old Amanda Diane Duer. A female, Duer was with a companion, Derick DeAnthony Henderson, in their motel room when the events that led to her death began to unfold. The pair became involved in a dispute with a man they knew, an altercation that would ultimately have fatal consequences.
According to witness accounts and police investigations, the acquaintance,
later identified as Kenneth Frizzell Diggs, Jr., appeared at the doorway of their room. In a sudden escalation of the conflict, Diggs fired a gun at both Duer and Henderson. The gunshots drew the attention of others and prompted a call to the Howard County Police Department around 4:30 a.m. Upon their arrival, officers discovered both victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Emergency services transported Duer to Laurel Regional Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Henderson, who had been shot in the leg, was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center for treatment and was eventually released.
Following the shooting, an investigation was launched to identify and apprehend the person responsible. Police quickly identified Kenneth Frizzell Diggs, Jr., then 47 years old with no fixed address, as the primary suspect. An arrest warrant was issued, charging him with a litany of serious offenses, including murder, attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment, burglary, and firearms violations. As the search for Diggs intensified, authorities offered a reward for information leading to his capture, which was later doubled to $10,000. The U.S. Marshals Regional Fugitive Taskforce took on the responsibility of locating and arresting him.
After a period of searching, Kenneth Frizzell Diggs, Jr. was apprehended. His case proceeded to a five-day trial in the Circuit Court for Howard County. During the trial, the surviving victim, Derik Henderson, identified Diggs as the shooter. The jury convicted Diggs of first and second-degree murder, attempted first and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and related handgun offenses. For the murder of Amanda Duer, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He also received consecutive sentences for the other crimes, including an additional life term and twenty-five years, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his life incarcerated.
