Brian Matthew Zurmuhlen, 61, of Lusby, is facing charges of second-degree assault and two counts of abuse of a vulnerable adult following an investigation by the Maryland State Police into conditions at a residence in Calvert County.
According to court documents, the charges stem from incidents alleged to have occurred between March 14, 2026 and March 21, 2026 at a home in Lusby.
Troopers with the Maryland State Police responded to the residence on March 21, 2026 for a welfare check after concerns were raised by family members, Adult Protective Services, and a delivery driver. Officers reported that the home appeared secured, with locked doors, padlocked gates, and closed blinds, and initially received no response when attempting to make contact.
Zurmuhlen was contacted by phone and initially stated he could not come to the door due to illness and not being dressed. He also told officers the adult female victim could not come to the door because “she does not know how to use the door.”
After further communication, officers were eventually allowed inside through the garage. Inside the home, they located Zurmuhlen and an 79-year-old female victim sitting on a bed. Officers reported observing “a large bruise on the left side of her face around her eye socket area” along with multiple abrasions.
Investigators described unsanitary conditions throughout the residence, including what appeared to be feces, blood, and other bodily fluids on furniture. In a bedroom associated with the victim, officers reported a strong odor and a container filled with urine and feces.
Emergency medical personnel evaluated the victim and observed signs of severe malnourishment, including “significant tissue atrophy with her bones prominently protruding,” according to the report.
According to court documents, Zurmuhlen told officers he kept the victim locked in her room “so she cannot go downstairs to have free access to food.” He also stated he had not been able to empty her bed pan and was unable to care for her.
When questioned about the locked bedroom door, Zurmuhlen stated it was “to keep her safe,” and described the victim as a “compulsive eater and wanders off.”
When asked about the victim’s injuries, Zurmuhlen told officers, “she runs into stuff.”
The victim later told investigators she was not allowed regular access to food and stated, “Honestly, no,” when asked if she had access to meals. She also reported that Zurmuhlen controlled her finances and that she did not have access to her own money.
Court records show that an arrest warrant was initially issued for Zurmuhlen on March 26, 2026. However, on March 27, 2026, the State filed a motion requesting the warrant be withdrawn and replaced with a criminal summons, which was granted by the court.
The court subsequently ordered the arrest warrant to be recalled, and a criminal summons was issued and served on March 27, 2026 requiring Zurmuhlen to appear in court.
Court documents do not indicate that the arrest warrant was ever executed, and there is no record that Zurmuhlen was taken into custody. Instead, he was formally charged and released on a summons to appear.
A preliminary inquiry hearing is scheduled for May 11, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. in Calvert District Court.
