A 22-year-old carer allegedly disguised himself as a woman with a mask and wig before executing a millionaire philanthropist.
Marquis Emilio James, of White Marsh, Maryland, has been charged with the Valentines day murder of Robert G. Fuller Jr, 87, at the Cogir Potomac Senior Living Facility.
Chilling surveillance footage appears to show James, disguised in a long black wig, enter and exit the gated courtyard through a tampered door.
The footage was taken around the time Fuller was shot in the head in his apartment.
James had been employed as a medication technician at the care home since October and treated Fuller each night.
A murder probe was immediately launched into the cold-blooded killing.
Nothing appeared to have been taken from Fuller’s home, according to Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada.
Investigators later discovered the door’s alarm sensor had been disabled.
CCTV footage from the day showed James to be the only person to use the door.
Days after Fuller’s death, James was found inside the care home after the end of his shift.
When other workers asked him what he was doing he gave a suspicious answer, Yamada said.
He then triggered an exterior door alarm and fled before a supervisor was notified.
James’ alleged plot was exposed when he was pulled over in a traffic stop on Tuesday.
A Maryland State Police trooper noticed he was missing license plates.
But as the officer approached the car, James jumped out and fired two shots, cops said.
The bullets grazed the trooper who sustained minor injuries.
“Without a doubt, our Maryland State trooper escaped an outcome that could have ended much differently,” Maryland State Police Lt. Col. Steve Decerbo said.
James took off from the scene but amid the chaos left a shell casing – a crucial piece of evidence – behind.
The casing matched ballistic evidence from Fuller’s murder, linking the investigations.
Montgomery County Police, Maryland State Police and the US Marshals tracked James down the following day.
Chasing him on foot the officers managed to apprehend the suspect who was taken into custody in Rockville.
Conducting two search warrants cops discovered a twisted hoard of disguises.
Amongst the haul officers recovered “numerous” wigs and a mask, consistent with James’ disguise from the surveillance footage.
James was charged with first-degree murder in Montgomery County.
If found guilty he will face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
He is being held without bond, with a court hearing scheduled.
Yamada said police “do not have a good sense of why” James allegedly shot and killed Fuller.
He said: “Upon speaking with him, he said their relationship was very good, and he would never have hurt Mr Fuller.
“So we’re hopeful that as we get further in … we’re going to get a better sense of what was going on behind the scenes.”
Retired millionaire Fuller and his late wife, Moira, contributed millions of dollars to numerous causes in and around central Maine.
Fuller’s name is written into the turf of a football field at Cony High School in Augusta to honour his $1.6 donation to their athletics facilities.
