In the early evening of November 21, 2024, the life of 34-year-old Gary Matthews Jr., a Black male, was tragically cut short in a hail of bullets in Baltimore, Maryland. The fatal encounter unfolded at approximately 5:22 p.m. in the 4900 block of Frankford Avenue. Responding to reports of gunfire, police officers discovered Matthews unresponsive at the scene, suffering from multiple life-threatening gunshot wounds.
Despite the immediate efforts of emergency medical personnel, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of Gary Matthews Jr. led authorities to 26-year-old Amir Barnes-Henderson. Just eight days after the shooting, on November 29, 2024, Barnes-Henderson was apprehended by police during a burglary investigation in the 5000 block of Crenshaw Avenue. He was subsequently charged with first and second-degree murder in connection with Matthews' death.
The trial of Amir Barnes-Henderson for the murder of Gary Lee Matthews began on July 29, 2025. Prosecutors described the killing as an 'execution style' shooting, revealing that Matthews had sustained 22 gunshot wounds, with 12 of them to his head, fired from a very close range. The motive appeared to stem from a verbal altercation between the two men at a liquor store just before the shooting. The prosecution presented surveillance footage from nearby businesses and a doorbell camera, as well as the testimony of an eyewitness who claimed to have recognized the shooter.
Following a four-day trial, on August 1, 2025, a jury found Amir Barnes-Henderson guilty on all charges, including first-degree murder and three firearm violations. On September 25, 2025, Barnes-Henderson, who was identified as a repeat violent offender, was sentenced to life in prison plus 35 years for the murder of Gary Lee Matthews. The sentencing brought a measure of closure to the family and loved ones of Matthews, as a violent individual was removed from the community.
