In the late hours of a warm August night in 2019, the life of a 28-year-old Caucasian female, Taylor Pond, was tragically cut short in her Charles Town, West Virginia, home. On Saturday, August 24th, at approximately 11:36 p.m., the sound of gunfire shattered the quiet of the 100 block of North West Street, prompting a call to the Charles Town Police Department. Upon entering the residence, officers discovered Pond, who lived at the address, deceased from what was determined to be a gunshot wound.
The investigation that followed swiftly identified a suspect. Police learned that Elliott De John Lansdowne, a 28-year-old man from Jefferson, Maryland, had allegedly shot Pond before escaping the scene. The search for Lansdowne led authorities to his home in Maryland, where the Frederick County Sheriff's Office located his vehicle early the next morning.
A period of surveillance ensued as law enforcement awaited an arrest warrant.
Once the warrant for first-degree murder was issued for Lansdowne, a coordinated effort involving the Frederick County Sheriff's Office SWAT team and the Washington County Sheriff's Office SWAT team led to his apprehension. Alongside Lansdowne, a 20-year-old woman from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, named Emma Marie Phillips, was also taken into custody. A Jefferson County Magistrate had issued an arrest warrant for Phillips on a charge of accessory after the fact. Evidence connected to the case was recovered from both Lansdowne's home and his vehicle. Both suspects were transported to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center to face their respective charges. While arrests were made, a motive for the shooting was not immediately released by the authorities as the investigation remained active and ongoing.
