In the early morning hours of December 19, 2023, a sense of unease led 44-year-old Tyron Fields to take a photograph of the man with whom he was arguing. In a chilling premonition, Fields, a Black male, electronically sent the picture to others, identifying the man as Dale Haddix and stating that if anything should happen to him, Haddix would be responsible.
This grim forecast would tragically come to pass, culminating in Fields's violent death and a subsequent murder charge against the man in the photograph.
The argument began in the 6500 block of Saint Helena Avenue in Baltimore, Maryland. For reasons that are still not entirely clear, the dispute escalated, prompting Fields to document his alleged antagonist. The two men then moved to the 200 block of Central Avenue, where the argument continued. It was there that Haddix allegedly produced a handgun and shot Fields multiple times. Despite his injuries, Fields was able to make it to a nearby hospital as a walk-in shooting victim. Southeast District patrol officers responded to the hospital at approximately 12:30 a.m., where they found Fields suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he was pronounced deceased.
Investigators located a crime scene on the 6500 block of Saint Helena Avenue. The crucial evidence, however, came from the photograph and message sent by Fields moments before his death. This, along with a witness who identified Haddix as the shooter on September 9, 2024, led to the arrest of 23-year-old Dale Haddix. Haddix was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony or violent crime, and having a handgun on his person. It was also noted that Haddix was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior assault conviction in 2022. During a court hearing on May 2, 2025, a five-day jury trial for Dale Haddix was scheduled to begin on July 10 before a Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge. At the hearing, Haddix expressed his frustration over delays in receiving discovery from the prosecution.
