Aaron Thomas Brice, a 19-year-old man from Silver Spring, Maryland, was remembered by his family as the heart of their lives. His father, Anthony, described him as a "good boy," and his mother, Sandra, said, "He volunteered with kids, with seniors and he loved people." Aaron was preparing to start his studies at Montgomery College. His 14-year-old sister, Aaliyah, devastated by his death, called him her "only flesh and blood brother." Their lives were shattered in the early morning hours of November 1, 2009, when Aaron was killed at a crowded Halloween party.
The party was held at a large, rented home in the 11500 block of Manorstone Lane in Columbia, Maryland. More than 100 people were in attendance, many of whom had paid an admission fee. Investigators believe an argument that had been building throughout the evening escalated into violence. Around 1:15 a.m., multiple party-goers began calling the Howard County Police to report that shots had been fired.
When officers arrived, they found a chaotic scene. Aaron Thomas Brice was discovered deceased in the driveway. Near his body, investigators recovered more than 20 spent shell casings.
Inside the house, police found a second victim in the basement. Nathaniel Quick, 22, of Columbia, had also been shot. He was rushed to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in critical condition. Investigators later determined a bullet had traveled through the house before striking him. Quick survived but was left paralyzed. Two other young men were taken to a local hospital with non-gunshot injuries from an altercation that occurred around the same time. Police stated at the time that they did not believe the shooting was related to drugs or gang activity.
The investigation, led by the Howard County Police Department, faced the challenge of a crime scene with over 100 potential witnesses. Early in the investigation, police seemed to make swift progress, arresting two men from Elkridge: 22-year-old Devon O’Brian Dixon and Dean Edward Schroyer Jr. Dixon was charged with Aaron’s murder and the attempted murder of Nathaniel Quick, while Schroyer was accused of being an accessory after the fact. A witness had reportedly identified the suspects, and a firearm was recovered.
However, the case against them fell apart. Forensic testing revealed that the recovered gun did not match the weapon used in the shooting. Furthermore, police could not find sufficient corroboration from other witnesses to support the initial eyewitness account that implicated the two men. As a result, the murder and attempted murder charges were dropped. A search of the suspects' residence did lead to federal charges for drug and firearm possession, to which both men ultimately pleaded guilty, but these convictions did not connect them to Aaron's death.
A strange clue emerged when investigators linked the murder weapon to a previous incident at the same Manorstone Lane address. In June 2009, police had responded to a noise complaint for another large party at the home. During that incident, someone fired a gun into the air. Ballistics testing later confirmed that the shell casings from the June party matched the weapon used to kill Aaron Brice four months later. Despite this connection, no one has ever been convicted for the murder.
Years later, Aaron's family is still waiting for justice. His mother, Sandra, expressed the family's profound grief shortly after his death, saying, "He was the heart of our family and now its been ripped out." The case has been featured on podcasts and in news reports on its anniversaries, but the person who pulled the trigger remains unknown.
As of November 2023, the murder of Aaron Thomas Brice remains an unsolved cold case. The Howard County Police Department continues to seek information from the public and has increased the reward for tips that lead to an arrest and conviction. A reward of up to $30,000 is being offered. Anyone with information is urged to contact the police at 410-313-STOP or by email at [email protected]. Callers can remain anonymous.
