In the early morning hours of May 24, 2023, a grim discovery was made in a Mechanicsville, Maryland, apartment. Raymond Franklin Woods Jr., a 54-year-old White/Caucasian male, was found deceased on his couch, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office responded to the residence in the 29000 block of Three Notch Road around 5:30 a.m.
after receiving a report of the shooting.
The investigation into the death of Woods, a man known affectionately as 'Pop Pop' to his grandchildren, quickly led detectives to two individuals. His 38-year-old stepson, Marvin Orlando Johnson of Mechanicsville, and 37-year-old Marlee Lynn Stokes of Charlotte Hall were identified as suspects. The investigation revealed a history of conflict between Johnson and his stepfather, including a prior verbal altercation and threats made against family members. On the night of the murder, a witness reported seeing Johnson placing a rifle into a vehicle driven by Stokes. Furthermore, Johnson allegedly confessed to an acquaintance that he had shot Woods.
Following the investigation, both Johnson and Stokes were arrested. Johnson was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, first-degree assault, and second-degree assault. Stokes faced charges of being an accessory after the fact to both first-degree and second-degree murder. Both were held at the St. Mary's County Detention and Rehabilitation Center without bond.
In July 2024, after a four-day trial, a St. Mary's County jury found Marvin Orlando Johnson guilty of first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence for the premeditated shooting of his stepfather. The conviction brought a sense of justice to the family of Raymond Woods Jr. Johnson now faces a potential sentence of life in prison plus an additional twenty years.
