Aleksandar Andreev Ivanchev, 38 of Lexington Park
UPDATE 1/20/2023: State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling announced today that a St. Mary’s County Jury found Defendant Aleksander A. Ivanchev, 40, of Lexington Park, guilty of two counts of criminally negligent manslaughter for the deaths of Melody Russell and Shawn Bailey following a July 2021 collision in Charlotte Hall.
Sterling thanked members of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation and Senior Assistant State’s
Attorney Laura Caspar, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the citizens of St. Mary’s County.
The defendant will be held without bond pending sentencing, which has been postponed to a later date.
The Honorable Joseph Stanalonis presided over the case.
UPDATE 3/11/2022: State’s Attorney Richard Fritz is pleased to announce that Aleksander Ivanchev has been returned to the St. Mary’s County Detention Center to await trial on charges for Second Degree Murder.
Ivanchev was charged for killing Melody Russell and Shawn Bailey, both life-time residents of St. Mary’s County, in a collision in Charlotte Hall last year. Over the State’s objection, Ivanchev was released.
Assistant State’s Attorney Laura A. Caspar was advised he violated the condition that he not drive by operating a tractor on the roadway with his infant on his lap and filed a motion seeking immediate revocation of his bond. “Tractors are motor vehicles,” said Caspar, “and the State cannot allow this status to be violated.”
UPDATE 10/13/2021: Aleksandar Andreev Ivanchev, 38 of Lexington Park, has had his case dismissed from District Court and now has a case in Saint Mary’s County Circuit Court.
The case in Circuit Court still has the manslaughter charges and has also added two new charges of Murder-Second Degree.
Prior to this Ivanchev was being held on a no bond status at the St. Mary’s County Adult Detention and Rehabilitation Center. After police served Ivanchev with an arrest warrant for the 2 counts of murder the court system released him, and he is now on Pretrial Supervision.
- A person convicted of murder in the second degree is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 40 years.
UPDATE 9/1/2021: Aleksandar Andreev Ivanchev, 38 of Lexington Park, was charged with 2 counts manslaughter by vehicle and 2 counts of manslaughter by vehicle – criminal negligence.
- A person convicted of manslaughter by vehicle is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both.
- A person convicted of manslaughter by vehicle – criminal negligence is subject to imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both
Ivanchev is scheduled to appear in court for a bond hearing on Thursday, September 2, 2021, and is due in court again on October 28, 2021.
UPDATE 8/10/2021: The deceased couple were identified as Melody Ann Russell, 29, of Clements, and Shawn Douglas Bailey, 27, of Loveville.
Melody Russell and Shawn Douglas Bailey were to be married on November 27, 2021, they met at work at McKay’s and they fell madly in love.
Services for Melody Ann Russell will be Friday, August 13, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Morganza, MD, with Father Drew Royals officiating, accompanied by Deacon Joe Lloyd. Interment will follow at Queen of Peace Cemetery, Helen, MD. Serving as pallbearers will be Jamieson Russell, Daniel Russell, Alan Harper, Ethan Gott, Samuel Walter, and Clint Walter. Honorary pallbearers will be Dorothy Gott, Sandy Reisinger, Joseph Lloyd, and Francis H. Walter.
Services for Shawn Douglas Bailey will be Friday, August 13, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM in the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Morganza, MD, with Father Drew Royals officiating, accompanied by Deacon Joe Lloyd. Interment will follow at Queen of Peace Cemetery, Helen, MD. Serving as pallbearers will be Marcus Thompson, Sam Green, Joe Green, Chris Bai
Link to obituary of Melody Ann Russell
Link to obituary for Shawn Douglas Bailey
Aleksandar Andreev Ivanchev (2018 Booking Photo)
UPDATE 7/31/21 @ 2:30 p.m.: On July 30, 2021, at approximately 11:08 a.m. deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the reported motor vehicle collision with a vehicle on fire in the 30000 block of Three Notch Road, at the intersection of Golden Beach Road, in Charlotte Hall. Deputies arrived on scene and located one vehicle engulfed in flames, with at least one occupant inside the vehicle. Members of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Collision Reconstruction Unit responded to the scene and continued the investigation.
Preliminary investigation determined a 2008 Subaru Outback operated by Aleksandar Andreev Ivanchev, age 38 of Lexington Park, was traveling north bound on Three Notch Road at a high rate of speed. Ivanchev continued through a solid red light and struck a 2005 Ford Escape, which was traveling from Golden Beach Road through the intersection of Three Notch Road, with a solid green light.
Upon impact, the Ford Escape became engulfed in flames. The Ford Escape was occupied by two individuals, who were pronounced deceased on scene. The identities of the victims are being withheld pending positive identification. Ivanchev suffered incapacitating injuries and was transported from the scene to an area trauma center for treatment.
At this time, speed and failing to obey a traffic control device appear to be contributing factors in the collision.
Anyone who witnessed the collision or events leading to the collision that have not already provided a statement, are asked to contact Sergeant Sheena Tirpak at (301) 475-4200 extension 78051 or by email at [email protected].
7/30/2021: On Friday, July 30, 2021, at approximately 11:09 a.m., police, fire and rescue personnel responded to the area of Three Notch Road and Golden Beach Road in Charlotte Hall, for the reported motor vehicle collision with one vehicle on fire.
Crews arrived on the scene to find two vehicles in the median strip of Three Notch Road. Upon investigation, firefighters found both vehicles on fire and three victims trapped.
Firefighters from Mechanicsville, Hollywood, and Charles County responded to the scene, with crews arriving in under three minutes.
Two victims have been pronounced deceased on the scene.
The third patient was extricated from the vehicle in approximately 25 minutes.
Maryland State Police Helicopter Trooper 7 landed nearby and transported one adult male with life-threatening injuries
Northbound and Southbound lanes of Three Notch Road will be closed for an extended period of time. Please slow down, avoid the area, and expect delays.
Police are investigating the collision and will be performing Crash Reconstruction.
Updates will be provided when they become available.
