An Anne Arundel County judge sentenced Angelo Harrod to Life in Prison Without the Possibility of Parole on Friday, February 24th, 2023, for the 2021 fatal shooting of Michelle Cummings. Cummings was the 57-year-old mother of a U.S. Naval Academy midshipman. She was celebrating with her family at the Graduate Hotel in Annapolis when a single stray bullet struck her to her chest. Harrod was also sentenced to a consecutive Life sentence for the attempted murder of two others.
State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess announced the sentence, saying, "What was supposed to be a celebratory time turned into tragedy for Mrs. Cummings' family that summer evening. Mrs. Cummings was a proud mother and loving wife who was taken away by senseless gunfire. May this prosecution and sentence show there will be no tolerance for these crimes in our county. I pray that the Cummings family will find peace and closure today."
Harrod was found guilty of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder and conspiracy following a two-week trial in December 2022. The shooting occurred on Pleasant Street in Annapolis on June 29, 2021. Cummings, who was from Houston, was in Annapolis for Induction Day for her son Trey, who was a member of the Navy football team. She was celebrating with family and friends on the Graduate Hotel's patio when the stray bullet struck her.
According to witnesses, Harrod and another individual fired several shots at a couple who were parked on Pleasant Street following a date. Multiple bullets struck the vehicle, with one shot passing through a wooded area to the hotel's patio. The man and woman in the vehicle were uninjured, but several bullets came within just inches of the couple.
Investigators determined that Harrod was involved in the shooting through surveillance, DNA, and phone records. Lead Detective Aaron Stein and the Annapolis Police Department worked tirelessly to bring Harrod to justice. State's Attorney Leitess thanked Assistant State's Attorneys Jason Steinhardt and Carolynn Grammas for successfully prosecuting the case and John Foster, the Demonstrative Evidence Specialist who assisted in the case.
Honorable Pamela Alban presided over the case and handed down the sentence on Friday afternoon. The sentencing brings some closure for the Cummings family, who have been grieving since Michelle's tragic death in 2021. The family expressed their gratitude to the Annapolis Police Department and the prosecutors who worked tirelessly to bring Harrod to justice.
In a statement, the family said, "We are grateful to the Annapolis Police Department and the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office for their tireless efforts to bring justice to Michelle and our family. While nothing will ever bring Michelle back, this sentence ensures that her killer will never again be free to harm another family. We hope that this sentence serves as a warning to others that senseless acts of violence will not be tolerated in our community."
The sentencing also warns others that acts of senseless violence will not be tolerated in Anne Arundel County. State's Attorney Leitess hoped that the sentencing would deter others from committing similar crimes. She said, "I hope that this prosecution and sentence will deter others who may contemplate such senseless and violent acts. Our community will not tolerate this type of behavior, and those who commit such crimes will be held accountable."
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