August Ends Gruesome Month of Killings in Prince George's County

At least eight people were slain in a spate of gun violence in Prince George's County in August, but the county's overall murder rate appears to be slowing this year. 

Killings, detailed on the Prince George's County Police Department's blog, total 34 for the year. That's a little more than a rate of four per month. County police reported 90 slayings in 2011, a rate of more than seven per month. 

Police have charged five suspects in the eight deaths in August and are still searching for others. 

Beginning Aug. 6, police responded to five killings in the span of a week. 

First, in the early morning hours of Aug. 6, county police responded to a scene in Temple Hills in which they discovered 18-year-old Anthony Boatwright lying in the street with a gunshot wound. Boatwright was pronounced dead at the scene. Police made a quick arrest, charging 18-year-old Fort Washington resident Darrel Sales.

The next day, Aug. 7, police responded to Woodlan Boulevard in Upper Marlboro for a report of shots fired. Once on the scene, police discovered East Riverdale area resident Ishmael Boakye suffering from a mortal gunshot wound. Within two days, police charged 21-year-old Marcus Devon Reid in the killing. 

On Aug. 8, police discovered 40-year-old Riverdale Park resident Alvaro Aguirre-Herrara shot to death inside his home in the 6200 block of Kenilworth Avenue. Within two days, police had charged 40-year-old Riverdale Park resident Kobina Edo Abruquah in connection with the killing. Abruguah was a neighbor of Aguirre-Herrara. 

Three days later, on Aug. 11, police found 29-year-old Oliver Gregson Davis suffering from a deadly gunshot wound inside his home on the 700 block of Glacier Avenue in Capitol Heights. Within a day, police had charged 19-year-old Travis Everett Hoskins. Police say the two had been arguing prior to the shooting.

The next day, Aug. 12, police were called to the scene of a deadly domestic altercation in which Glen Burnie resident Trevor Johnson, 37, was shot multiple times. Police said that 35-year-old Fort Washington resident James Howard Braddy, Jr. shot Johnson, who was the boyfriend of Braddy's ex-girlfriend. Police said that Braddy shot Johnson once in the apartment before dragging Johnson outside to a parking lot. There, police said, Braddy shot Johnson multiple times before fleeing from the scene. Braddy surrendered to police on Aug. 25.

On Aug. 15, police working in Forestville discovered 23-year-old Deandre Yates suffering from a fatal gunshot wound inside his home. As yet, there has been no arrest.

On Aug. 22, police responding to a report of a shooting discovered 17-year-old As yet, there has been no arrest.

Two days later, on Aug. 24, county police opened another investigation into the slaying of 32-year-old Maritza Alfaro-Abarca, who had been found stabbed to death in the 5600 bock of Kennedy Street near Riverdale. There has been no arrest in that case.

Police have asked anyone with information which could help lead to the arrest of suspects in connection with these killings to call the county's homicide unit at 301-772-4925. Anonymous tips can be made through the county Crime Solvers tip line at 1-866-411-8477. Tips can also be sent via text message by sending a text to the number 274637 (CRIMES). Texted tips must begin with the word "PGPD" before beginning the body of your message.