Murder Suspect Caught During Traffic Stop Near Bay Bridge: Police

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Police said an Anne Arundel County traffic stop helped officers catch a man accused of a Talbot County murder. Authorities found the victim around 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 9 during a wellness check, an incident report noted.

Police identified the deceased man as Richard Brunkhorst. He was 91.

Investigators added that Brunkhorst's injuries suggest that he was in a struggle. First responders reported that the backdoor of Brunkhorst's Easton home, located in the 100 block of Tred Avon Avenue, was left open. Police explained that Brunkhost's car and guns were missing from his residence.

The Maryland Transportation Authority spotted the stolen car around 12:57 a.m. on Feb. 10, the write-up informed. Police said they pulled the car over on westbound U.S. Route 50 at exit 29, which is near the Annapolis side of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

Officers saw the missing guns in plain sight, the report indicated. Authorities said they took the accused driver, Charles J. Smullen, to the Easton Police Department for processing.

The report noted that 46-year-old Easton man faces charges of:

• First-degree murder
• First-degree burglary
• Home invasion
• First-degree assault
• Second-degree assault
• Reckless endangerment
• Theft

Officers added that they took Smullen to the Talbot County Detention Center.

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