Arrest In Death Of Beloved Educator: Police Say Warrant Served

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — After a Pikesville man was found dead in his home at the end of December, police said the suspect has been arrested.

Authorities issued a warrant for the arrest of Zayeed Quinton Abdul Muhaimin, 23, who was taken into custody in San Diego, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 4, police said.

Officials said they have not yet identified a motive in the murder of Shelton Justin Stanley, who was found fatally shot on Dec. 27, 2020.

Stanley, 36, was found dead in his home in the 4800 block of Hawksbury Road from multiple gunshot wounds, police said. Family members had been unable to reach him by phone, so officers were sent there to check on him. The medical examiner deemed it a homicide.

Stanley, who used his middle name "Justin," was an assistant principal at Dunbar High School in Baltimore City, according to The Baltimore Sun, which said officers found him wrapped in a blanket at the bottom of his stairs when they went to his residence. Citing charging documents, the newspaper reported that bleach had been poured all over hard surfaces in the residence, where Muhaimin's fingerprints were found on a cleaning product.

A vigil was held in Stanley's memory outside Friendship Academy of Science and Technology on New Year's Eve, according to WJZ, which reported his former students remembered him as "amazing," "hilarious" and "helpful."

Although the motive is unclear, investigators say they may have identified a link between the victim and suspect.

"Detectives determined that Muhaimin may have been staying with Stanley in his home on Hawksbury Road," police said in a statement Friday, Jan. 8, "and that Muhaimin fled to California following the murder."

Muhaimin, who was a former student of the victim, had used Stanley's address to obtain state benefits and had medical paperwork in his home, according to The Baltimore Sun, which reported a man who appeared to be Muhaimin was seen on surveillance video the day of the death at an ATM withdrawing money from the victim's bank card. The bank card, Stanley's SUV, a shotgun, Glock and his iPhone were missing, according to The Baltimore Sun, which reported Stanley was killed with a shotgun.

As of Friday afternoon, authorities said Muhaimin was in the process of being extradited to Maryland on a first-degree murder charge.

See Also:

• Man Found Fatally Shot In His Home: Baltimore County Police
• Dunbar Assistant Principal Shelton Stanley Found Shot, Killed Inside Pikesville Home