Murder Conviction Overturned In Federal Officer's Odenton Death

ODENTON, MD — A Glen Burnie man convicted three years ago in the murder of an off-duty federal police officer during an Odenton robbery has won a new trial. Convicted felon William Lloyd McDonald, 38, of Glen Burnie was sentenced in late 2015 to life in prison without parole in the murder of Benjamin Curtis.

Curtis, 47, was killed in August 2006, but not charges were filed until 2011 when Anne Arundel County Police received information that gave them evidence — which was corroborated with cell phone records from the night of the shooting — to charge McDonald. A jury convicted McDonald on May 14, 2015, of killing Curtis, along with the crimes armed robber and multiple firearms offenses.

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals ordered a new trial for McDonald, ruling the jury should not have seen letters that described how McDonald wanted a friend to kill a witness, the Capital-Gazettereports. The State’s Attorney's office has not commented on the ruling.

McDonald was sentenced to serve life in prison without parole for Curtis's death, plus 20 years consecutive for armed robbery, 20 years consecutive for use of handgun in a crime of violence, and 5 years consecutive for the possession of a regulated firearm after a disqualifying conviction, without the possibility of parole.

This was consecutive to a 70-year sentence McDonald was already serving for violent armed robbery and theft, possession of a firearm, according to a release from the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's office.

McDonald's attorney argued that his client didn't commit the crimes, reports the Capital-Gazette. A 2013 trial on the charges ended with a mistrial.

According to prosecutors, Curtis was sitting in his 2002 Ford Expedition with a woman in a parking lot at My Place Bar and Lounge about 2:30 a.m. on Aug. 12, 2006. That's when McDonald approached the pair and demanded Curtis's wallet and the woman's purse. Curtis handed over the items and then McDonald got into the truck.

While the victims turned over their cash and cell phones, McDonald next climbed into the back seat and demanded that the woman take off her shirt, prosecutors said in court. That's when the two men struggled and Curtis was shot.

During the fight, the woman ran from the car and reported the crime at a security gate at Fort Meade. Curtis was taken to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he died from his wounds.

Curtis was an officer with Federal Protective Services, a branch of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Photo of William McDonald, courtesy of Anne Arundel County Police