In May of 2023, a fire broke out in a three-story garden apartment building in the 6100 block of 42nd Avenue in Hyattsville. Firefighters were called to the scene shortly after 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3rd, to extinguish a blaze that had started in the kitchen of one of the units. Inside the apartment, they made a grim discovery. The body of the apartment's resident, 56-year-old Roger Neal, a male, was found amidst the smoke and flames.
Initially, it was believed that Mr. Neal had perished in the fire, but upon closer examination, it was determined that he had suffered a gunshot wound. The Prince George's County Police Department's Homicide Unit was called in to investigate what was now being treated as a homicide. The investigation quickly revealed that the fire was not accidental but had been intentionally set after the murder.
Within days, authorities identified a suspect in the case: 40-year-old Marcell Billups of Lanham. The investigation suggested that Billups and Neal were acquainted and had gotten into an argument. It is alleged that during this dispute, Billups shot Neal and then set fire to the apartment in an attempt to conceal the crime. Billups was located and taken into custody in Washington, D.C. He has been charged with first and second-degree murder, arson, and other related offenses. He is currently awaiting extradition to Prince George's County to face these charges.
