Midnight Confrontation Leaves Two Dead

"FINKSBURG, MD — Police have identified a 51-year-old Sykesville man as the suspect in an apparent murder-suicide that occurred in Finksburg early Thursday morning.

"Gregory A. Martin, of the 4600 block of Doncrest Lane in Sykesville, was found dead in the backyard of his former home and where his estranged wife still lives, at 2403 Shawnee Drive in Finksburg shortly after 7 a.m.

"Maryland State Police investigators recovered a .357 caliber handgun next to Martin's body.

"Earlier, police had found Steven W. Focht, 48, of 1511 Pilgrim Lane in Finksburg dead from an apparent gunshot wound in the driveway of his home. One of the vehicles in Focht's driveway was Martin's, according to a state police press release.

"Initial evidence showed that Focht arrived home from work shortly after midnight and Martin pulled into the driveway behind him. A confrontation occurred in the driveway and Focht was shot multiple times in the upper torso, according to the release.

"Investigators believe Martin than ran into the backyard of his previous residence and committed suicide.

"Focht and Martin had an ongoing dispute that had began when the two were neighbors, according to state police. Police responded to the neighborhood on two separate occasions for disputes between the two in 2007 and 2008, according to police.

"No criminal prosecutions resulted in either incident, however electronic court records show both men were charged with second-degree assault in a 2008 incident. Peace orders were taken out by both men against each other after that incident, according to electronic court records.

"Both men's bodies will be taken to the medical examiner's office in Baltimore for autopsies.

"Police arrived at the scene around 12:15 a.m. after receiving 911 calls reporting shots fired near Pilgrim Lane, and found Focht's body in the driveway. Martin was determined as a possible suspect and police conducted a search for him that involved a state police helicopter, K-9 units, a tracking team, the Special Tactical Assault Team Element and other troopers.

"As daylight came, a trooper saw the body of a man lying in the backyard of a residence at 2403 Shawnee Drive."

Source: Carroll County Times...


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "Shoot thy neighbor as ye would shoot thyself."