Albert J. Peisinger, Jr., State’s Attorney for Harford County, announced today the sentencing of Jaylin Brown, 18, Bel Air, Maryland, for Murder in the Second Degree, First Degree Assault, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony or Crime of Violence, and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Under the Age of 21.
On August 3, 2018, deputies of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Edgewood High School, 2415 Willoughby Beach Road, Edgewood, Maryland. Upon arrival, deputies discovered a vehicle in a ditch in front of the high school. Inside the vehicle deputies found victim, 19 year old Thailek Willis, who suffered from a gunshot wound to his left back. Despite immediate life-saving efforts, Mr. Willis died from his injuries the same day. After thorough investigation by the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Jaylin Brown was charged with the murder of Thailek Willis, and the handgun used by Mr. Brown was recovered by the Sheriff’s Office.
At the conclusion of a six (6) day trial in the Circuit Court for Harford County before the Honorable Angela M. Eaves, a jury returned a verdict of guilty of Murder in the Second Degree, First Degree Assault, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony or Crime of Violence, and Possession of a Firearm by a Person Under the Age of 21 on December 12, 2019. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorneys Mark Meehan and Matthew George.
Today, the Honorable Angela M. Eaves imposed a total sentence of 65 years of incarceration suspend all but 20 years of incarceration to be served at the Division of Corrections. The defendant will be on five (5) years of supervised probation upon release.
The Office of the State’s Attorney for Harford County sends its deepest condolences to the victim’s family for the tragic loss that they have suffered.
The Office of the State’s Attorney for Harford County would also like to thank the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, emergency response personnel, the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for their outstanding work and dedication in conducting the investigation that resulted in the conviction of Mr. Brown.