In the early morning hours of June 11, 2010, Wesley Washington John Brown, a 24-year-old male Maryland State Trooper, was fatally shot in Forestville, Maryland. He was working an off-duty security detail at an Applebee's restaurant on Donnell Drive at the time of the incident.
Earlier in the evening, Trooper Brown had escorted a disruptive patron, identified as Cyril Cornelius Williams, out of the restaurant.
Williams had reportedly been causing a disturbance, which included urinating on another customer. After being removed, a vengeful Williams left the premises, retrieved a firearm, and returned to the restaurant. He found Trooper Brown in the parking lot talking on his cell phone and shot him multiple times without warning.
Following the shooting, an investigation led to the identification and arrest of two suspects. Cyril Cornelius Williams, then 27, was identified through surveillance photos as the man who had been ejected from the restaurant. He and his friend, Anthony Milton II, were subsequently charged with first-degree murder. Police stated that Milton admitted to accompanying Williams and participating in the murder. Both men had extensive criminal records.
In February 2012, Cyril Cornelius Williams was convicted of first-degree murder for the death of Trooper Brown. On May 10, 2012, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. During the sentencing, the judge referred to Williams as a threat to society. Williams maintained his innocence and planned to appeal the conviction. His accomplice, Anthony Milton, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact.
