Suspect In Odenton Homicide Cold Case Pleads Guilty To Murder

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Technology enabled authorities to solve an Odenton cold case dating back to Feb. 2, 2010, and on July 1, Fred Lee Frampton Jr., 33, of Glen Burnie, entered a plea of guilty to one count of first-degree murder of Michael Anthony Temple in that case. Frampton now faces life in prison when he is sentenced on Sept. 19, the county state attorney's office announced.

By using Parabon Snapshot DNA Phenotyping Service, an innovative technology that produces a descriptive profile of the source of any human DNA sample, experts were able to match the DNA from the crime scene to Frampton, said the Anne Arundel County state's attorney. This is the first time this type of DNA technology was used in solving an Anne Arundel County crime.

"Mr. Frampton will finally be held accountable for this violent home invasion that forever changed the life of Mr. Temple, his family and the surviving victims," said Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess in a statement. "I would like to commend the Anne Arundel County Police Department-Homicide Unit and the County's Crime Lab for leveraging the advancements in DNA technology to seek out the perpetrator and identify Mr. Frampton as the murderer in this cold case, and the excellent prosecution by the Assistant State's Attorneys."

The Anne Arundel County Police Department responded to the 500 block of Williamsburg Lane in Odenton for a report of a home invasion robbery and a shooting. Police officers found one of the victims, Michael Anthony Temple, inside the residence suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Donald Gagnon, Margaret Ridgely and Kelly Skarwecki also were in the residence.

After investigating the shooting and robbery, authorities determined that two white men entered the residence and one pistol-whipped Gagnon on the side of the head knocking him to the floor. Frampton Jr. pointed a gun at Gagnon and a second suspect, Jonathan Ludwig, duct-taped the victim's hands behind his back and his ankles togethern, then covered his mouth. Then Ludwig stole his wallet.

The suspects found Temple, Ridgely and Skarwecki in the basement where Frampton ordered them to the ground and pointed his gun at them, demanding money. Temple jumped on Frampton and fought with him. Ridgely fought wLudwig and she was struck on her left eyebrow causing a laceration. Ludwig than strangled Ridgely who fought back until she fell to the floor after becoming dizzy. Temple continued to fight Frampton across two rooms until Ridgely heard gunshots coming from another room.

Police recovered multiple shell casings, a four-inch blade folding knife and a partial projectile on the floor. Ridgely told police during the course of the investigation that she believed the suspects had taken somewhere between $2,100 and $2,500. Temple was initially paralyzed from his injuries and on June 18, 2015, he died due to complications of the gunshot wounds he suffered five years earlier. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Maryland ruled his death a homicide.

On Nov. 1, 2018, Frampton was arrested. During a search of his home, a handgun later identified as the one used in the crime scene was recovered. Frampton was questioned by detectives and confessed to the murder and home invasion. Suspect Jonathan Ludwig died from an overdose in March 2018 shortly before police would also zero in on him through his DNA and corroborating evidence linking him to the crime.