4 Teens Indicted On Murder Charges In Death Of Officer Caprio

TOWSON, MD — Four teens were indicted in the death of Officer Amy Caprio on Wednesday, May 30. All were indicted on murder and other charges after the police officer was fatally hit by a vehicle in Perry Hall.

The teens had broken into homes in the area and stolen items from a bag of Cheetos to a handgun, according to the indictments.

A grand jury indicted Dawnta Harris, Derrick Matthews, Darrell Ward and Eugene Genius on charges of first-degree murder, burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary, according to Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

If a person dies while an individual is committing a burglary, that individual may be charged with murder, Shellenberger said, citing Maryland law.

Police said Caprio was responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle on Linwen Way with several people walking around and breaking into houses there before 2 p.m. on Monday, May 21.

She followed a black Jeep Wrangler to a cul-de-sac on Linwen Way, got out of her patrol vehicle and ordered the driver, identified later as Dawnta Harris, to get out of the vehicle. Harris began to exit the Jeep, then got back in and quickly accelerated, driving toward and striking Officer Caprio, police said.

Neighbors called 9-1-1 reporting that the officer had been struck by a vehicle and one neighbor, a paramedic, ran to Caprio's aid to begin life-saving efforts. She was taken to MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center with traumatic injuries and pronounced deceased at 2:50 p.m. Monday. Autopsy results indicated the death was a homicide due to traumatic injuries from being hit by the Jeep, police said.

"Under Maryland law, if an individual is involved in the commission of a burglary and a person is killed during the commission of that offense, then the individual has committed a first-degree murder," Shellenberger said in a statement May 30.

"The Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s office is committed to assuring that each of the charged defendants and the citizens of this State, including the family of Officer Caprio, receive a fair and just trial," the statement said. "For that reason, we will not be publicly addressing any of the specific details of this case, other than in the courtroom, until the trial or trials have occurred."

The following are being held without bail and have been indicted on murder and burglary charges:

• Dawnta Anthony Harris, 16, of the 1600 block of Vincent Court, Baltimore, MD 21217
• Eugene Robert Genius, 17, of the 400 block of North Lakewood Road, Baltimore, 21224
• Derrick Eugene Matthews, 16, of the 200 block of South Dallas Court, Baltimore, 21231
• Darrell Jaymar Ward, 15, of the 2300 block of Ashland Avenue, Baltimore, 21205

Baltimore County officials say Caprio is the first female officer killed in the line of duty in the Baltimore Police Department's 144-year history.

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This is breaking news and will be updated.

Pictured are those charged, clockwise from top left: Dawnta Harris, Darrell Ward, Derrick Matthews, Eugene Genius; and photo of Officer Amy Caprio. Images courtesy of Baltimore County Police Department.