Prince George’s News

UPDATE: Waldorf Man Sentenced to 55 Years for Murder, Armed Robbery, Carjacking, After Violent Crime Spree Across Maryland and Virginia

UPDATE: Waldorf Man Sentenced to 55 Years for Murder, Armed Robbery, Carjacking, After Violent Crime Spree Across Maryland and Virginia

UPDATE 12/12/2025: Today, U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Thaddeus Lamont Wills, 52, of Waldorf, Maryland, to 55 years in federal prison for his role in a string of commercial armed robberies. The robberies occurred in 2020 and 2021, in Prince William County, Virginia, and in Prince George’s and Charles County, Maryland. During...
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States Attorney Announces Conviction in $204k Vehicle Theft Scheme from College Park Nissan Dealership

States Attorney Announces Conviction in $204k Vehicle Theft Scheme from College Park Nissan Dealership

Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Tara H. Jackson announced that John D. Massaquoi, a former employee of Darcars Nissan in College Park, has been convicted on 17 charges, including theft scheme over $100,000, four counts of theft $25,000 to $100,000, four counts of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, four counts of unauthorized removal...
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Fun Spring Events to Support Care and Community at Hospice of the Chesapeake

Fun Spring Events to Support Care and Community at Hospice of the Chesapeake

Hospice of the Chesapeake invites the community to celebrate spring with three unforgettable signature events designed to fuel its mission of providing compassionate hospice, supportive and grief care across the region. Mark your calendars for these April, May and June experiences that each offer their own blend of excitement, elegance and community impact: Bubbles...
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Sports Wagering Contributes $19 Million to the State During November 2025

Sports Wagering Contributes $19 Million to the State During November 2025

Maryland’s sports wagering market continued a strong performance in Fiscal Year 2026 by generating $19,012,033 in contributions to the state during November. Sports bettors in Maryland wagered $720,180,853 during the month and won back $622,895,669 in prizes. Sportsbook operators held 13.5% of the handle, leading to the largest single-month return to the state since...
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Maryland DNR Announces Opening Weekend Results from the 2025 Deer Firearm Season

Maryland DNR Announces Opening Weekend Results from the 2025 Deer Firearm Season

Maryland hunters reported harvesting 9,633 deer on the opening weekend of the 2025 firearm season from Nov. 29 – Nov. 30, according to data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The opening weekend harvest decreased 11.5% from last year’s official opening weekend harvest of 10,889 deer. This was 7.2% lower than the 5-year average of 10,384...
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Air Force Research Laboratory Invention Deployed by Maryland State Police Aviation Command

Air Force Research Laboratory Invention Deployed by Maryland State Police Aviation Command

Published Dec. 5, 2025 by Whitney Wetsig, 711th Human Performance Wing Commander’s Action Group – WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio; A mobile medical documentation tool developed by Air Force Research Laboratory researchers is now deployed and being tested on Maryland State Police medevac helicopters. This marks the first time medical providers are using Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed...
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No Charges Filed After Waldorf Man Is Shot and Killed by PG County Business Security Guard, Police Investigating

No Charges Filed After Waldorf Man Is Shot and Killed by PG County Business Security Guard, Police Investigating

The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Unit is actively working to determine the circumstances of a fatal shooting late Monday night inside of a business. During this incident, an armed private security guard fatally shot a patron. The deceased patron is 50-year-old Donald Wayne Hunt of Waldorf. On December 8, 2025, at approximately...
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Commanders Fan in Prince George’s County Wins $50,000 on Ravens Scratch-off

Commanders Fan in Prince George’s County Wins $50,000 on Ravens Scratch-off

A Washington Commanders fan from Prince George’s County is celebrating a Ravens win. Not the actual team, but rather his $50,000 win on the Ravens X10 scratch-off game. Though he does not root for the Ravens, he enjoys playing the Ravens scratch-off. “I keep playing it because I win a little here and there,”...
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Governor Moore Commits $10 Million to Nonprofit and Faith-Based Organizations to Help Protect Against Hate Crimes

Governor Moore Commits $10 Million to Nonprofit and Faith-Based Organizations to Help Protect Against Hate Crimes

Governor Wes Moore announced that his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2027 will maintain $10 million in funding for the Protecting Against Hate Crimes Grant Program. The program, which saw its funding doubled in the governor’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget, provides vital support to nonprofit organizations and faith-based institutions for security enhancements to protect their...
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Governor Moore and Chesapeake Bay Program Executive Council Approve Revised Agreement to Protect Jobs, the Environment, and Coastal Communities

Governor Moore and Chesapeake Bay Program Executive Council Approve Revised Agreement to Protect Jobs, the Environment, and Coastal Communities

Governor Wes Moore on Dec. 2 led the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Executive Council in approving the revised Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which includes goals that will improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay, increase access to nature, and support livelihoods that depend on this nationally treasured resource. The revised agreement supports the environmental and...
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Historic Donation Creates New Fund for CSM Scholarships and Student Support

Historic Donation Creates New Fund for CSM Scholarships and Student Support

The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Foundation will expand scholarships and break down student financial barriers through the Lorraine Diana ’79 and Robert Guite Pathways to Possibility Fund, established with the largest donation in the college’s history. The fund will provide students with traditional scholarships, as well as financial support for other needs which...
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Brazilian Man Charged in Dunkirk Walmart Theft Incident

Brazilian Man Charged in Dunkirk Walmart Theft Incident

Avelino Tavares Da Silva Jr., 49, of College Park, has been formally charged with misdemeanor theft following an incident at the Walmart in Dunkirk, according to court documents filed in Calvert County District Court. The incident occurred on December 2, 2025, at the store located on Town Center Boulevard. According to the Calvert County...
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Police Continue Investigation After Driver Succumbs to Injuries Sustained July 2025 Motor Vehicle Collision

Police Continue Investigation After Driver Succumbs to Injuries Sustained July 2025 Motor Vehicle Collision

The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit is investigating a now fatal crash that occurred in July of 2025 in Temple Hills. The deceased driver is 36-year-old Joseph McGainey of Brandywine. He died of his injuries on November 24, 2025. On July 8, 2025, at approximately 11:25 am, officers responded...
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Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Season Resumes December 20

Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Season Resumes December 20

The second half of Maryland’s muzzleloader deer hunting season will be open Dec. 20 through Jan. 3, 2026. The first half of the split season was held in October. Hunters may use muzzleloading firearms to harvest sika and white-tailed deer during this time. “The late muzzleloader season coincides with the holidays, offering hunters a...
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Secretary’s Message: Investment in Outdoor Recreation Pays Back Dividends Now and for the Future

Secretary’s Message: Investment in Outdoor Recreation Pays Back Dividends Now and for the Future

In the last week of October, Maryland’s outdoor recreation community gathered in Baltimore for our second annual Maryland Outdoor Recreation Summit. Bringing together the partners that comprise and support Maryland’s outdoor recreation community – local and state government, environmental organizations, educators, outfitters, and other businesses – is essential. The science is clear: time in...
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Missing 14-Year-Old Located Deceased in Prince George’s County; Death Ruled Homicide

Missing 14-Year-Old Located Deceased in Prince George’s County; Death Ruled Homicide

Prince George’s County Police Department Homicide Unit detectives are investigating a homicide after human remains were located at a park in College Park. The victim is 14-year-old Jefferson Amaya-Ayala of Washington, DC. On November 3, 2025, while assisting the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and FBI Cross Border Taskforce with a joint missing persons investigation,...
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School and Weather Updates for This Weekend – December 5th, 2025

School and Weather Updates for This Weekend – December 5th, 2025

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY: Schools will open 2 HOURS LATE on Friday, Dec. 5th, 2025. ST. MARY’S COUNTY: St. Mary’s County, Maryland is under a Winter Weather Advisory from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, December 5, 2025.  Snowfall totals for St. Mary’s County are expected between 1–4 inches with very low temperatures. Snowfall is...
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Prince George’s County Police Department Mourns Passing of Another Veteran Officer, Sergeant Joseph Mullendore #2966

Prince George’s County Police Department Mourns Passing of Another Veteran Officer, Sergeant Joseph Mullendore #2966

The Prince George’s County Police Department is saddened to announce the passing of Sergeant Joseph Mullendore #2966 who died last week following a hard-fought illness. Sergeant Mullendore first joined the agency in 2006. During his nearly 20 years with the PGPD, he was assigned to Oxon Hill – District IV, the former Regional Investigation...
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No Injuries After House Fire in Waldorf, Two Displaced and Cause Under Investigation

No Injuries After House Fire in Waldorf, Two Displaced and Cause Under Investigation

On Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at approximately 9:25 p.m., firefighters from Waldorf and surrounding departments responded to the 800 block of Copley Avenue in Waldorf, for the reported garage on fire. 911 callers reported the garage was on fire and spreading to the attached residence. Firefighters quickly arrived on scene to find a two-story...
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UPDATE: 22-Year-Old Arrested After Fatal Shooting at MGM National Harbor Casino in Prince George’s County

UPDATE: 22-Year-Old Arrested After Fatal Shooting at MGM National Harbor Casino in Prince George’s County

UPDATE 12/04/2025: PGPD’s Homicide Unit identified and charged a man in connection with Wednesday’s fatal shooting at the MGM National Harbor. The suspect is 22-year-old Benjamin Williams of Fort Washington. He is charged with the murder of 23-year-old Darnell Hawkins Jr. of Washington, DC. On December 3, 2025, at approximately 11:55 am, officers responded...
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Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman Releases State’s First Feasibility Report for Baby Bonds Program in Maryland

Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman Releases State’s First Feasibility Report for Baby Bonds Program in Maryland

Maryland Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman today released a comprehensive report on the feasibility and potential impacts of implementing a statewide “Baby Bonds” program. The report, requested by the Maryland General Assembly, outlines how publicly funded trust accounts for children born into low-wealth households could help close the racial wealth gap, promote economic mobility, and strengthen the state’s...
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DNR Scientists Chart Future for Freshwater Mussel Restoration in Maryland

DNR Scientists Chart Future for Freshwater Mussel Restoration in Maryland

On a chilly fall morning, as fog drifted over the Potomac River, scientists with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources hauled three concrete balls out of the water. Inside each of these 25-pound, thick-walled bowls was a chamber containing several small shells—a group of year-old freshwater mussels. Their concrete shelters, or silos, allowed the...
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PG County Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) Waiting List Opens for First Time in Over 10 Years

PG County Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) Waiting List Opens for First Time in Over 10 Years

The Housing Authority of Prince George’s County (HAPGC) announced that, for the first time since 2015, preliminary applications for the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) waiting list will open on Monday, December 1, 2025, at 12:01 A.M. EST and close on Friday, December 5, 2025, at 11:59 P.M. EST. Preliminary applications will only be accepted online at: mypgc.us/hcv....
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SMADC Seeks Southern Maryland School System Partner for USDA Farm-to-School Grant Pilot

SMADC Seeks Southern Maryland School System Partner for USDA Farm-to-School Grant Pilot

The Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission, a Division of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland is calling for letters of participation from one of the five Southern Maryland county school systems to join a new 24-month pilot program aimed at streamlining local food sourcing for school meals, with submissions due by 6 p.m. Dec....
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Police Investigating 79-Year-Old Accokeek Woman Struck and Killed by Vehicle

Police Investigating 79-Year-Old Accokeek Woman Struck and Killed by Vehicle

The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit is investigating a fatal pedestrian collision that occurred on Wednesday evening. The victim has been identified as 79-year-old Walter Puma of Accokeek. On November 26, 2025, at approximately 5:15 PM, officers responded to the 300 block of Bryan Point Road for a collision...
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