In a tragic and senseless act of violence, 56-year-old Kurt Modeste, a male, lost his life on July 2, 2023, during a chaotic carjacking spree in Capitol Heights, Maryland. Modeste, an off-duty Metrobus driver of 24 years, was simply waiting in the drive-thru lane of a McDonald's on Ritchie Road when he became an unsuspecting victim. The events of that Sunday afternoon began to unfold around 12:10 p.m.
when a suspect, later identified as 22-year-old Daeyon Ross of Washington, D.C., initiated a string of carjackings.
The tragic encounter occurred after Ross crashed a stolen Honda CRV and fled on foot into the fast-food restaurant's parking lot. There, he approached Modeste's Acura ILX and, in an attempt to carjack the vehicle, shot him multiple times. Despite being gravely wounded, Modeste managed to drive a short distance away before succumbing to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. His death left behind a grieving family, including his wife and five children.
The rampage did not end with Modeste's death. Ross then carjacked another vehicle in the same drive-thru lane, a Toyota Scion that had three dogs inside. He proceeded to shoot and kill two of the dogs before fleeing westbound on Central Avenue, leading multiple police agencies on a pursuit into Washington, D.C. The chase concluded after Ross carjacked a fourth vehicle, a GMC Terrain, and crashed it. An exchange of gunfire with a Capitol Heights police officer ensued, though no one was struck.
Daeyon Ross was ultimately taken into custody, and a loaded handgun was recovered at the scene. He has since been charged with a multitude of offenses, including first and second-degree murder for the death of Kurt Modeste, armed carjacking, assault, firearms offenses, and aggravated cruelty to animals. At his initial court appearance, Ross entered a plea of 'not guilty' and was ordered to be held without bond. He was also found to be in violation of probation for previous armed robbery convictions. In a police interview, Ross reportedly stated he had a 'mental health problem' and did not recall why he shot the man at McDonald's. A grand jury has since indicted him in connection with the fatal carjacking spree.
