Today is National Prosecutor’s Day, and we are proud to recognize the important work prosecutors do every day to protect public safety and support victims.

This week, State’s Attorney Charlie Smith and Deputy State’s Attorney Joyce King joined State’s Attorneys Ivan Bates, John McCarthy and Rich Gibson at the National District Attorneys Association Advocacy Conference in Washington, D.C. Together, they met with Maryland’s Senators Amy Klobuchar, Angela Alsobrooks, Chris Van Hollen and Representatives to discuss legislative priorities impacting communities across our state.

These priorities include:
• Strengthening recruitment and retention of prosecutors
• Ensuring stable funding for victim services (VOCA)
• Combating fentanyl and illicit drug trafficking
• Addressing organized retail crime
• Enhancing protections for children online, including emerging threats involving AI

We appreciate the collaboration across jurisdictions and the opportunity to advocate for policies that strengthen the justice system and keep our communities safe.

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JANUARY 2, 2026

BALTIMORE MAN TO SERVE 85 YEARS IN THE DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS FOR FIRST-DEGREE MURDER, CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FIRST-DEGREE MURDER, KIDNAPPING AND CARJACKING

Frederick, MD – Today, in Frederick County Circuit Court, the State requested Life without Parole.  After conducting a full sentencing hearing, the Honorable Judge Scott Rolle ordered 20-year-old Keon Naki Wilson-Hawkins to serve Life, suspend all but 65 Years for First-Degree Murder and 20 years consecutive for Kidnapping.  In addition, the Defendant is ordered to serve 10 years, concurrently for Carjacking.  The Defendant was found guilty by a jury on all counts on July 9, 2025 in the Frederick County Circuit Court under the supervision of Judge Rolle.

At approximately 1:32 p.m., on Jan. 10, 2024, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) deputies responded to the 8200 block of Crum Road, Walkersville, Maryland, for the report of a suspicious vehicle in a field. The caller reported that the vehicle had its flashers on and had been there since 7 a.m.

Upon responding, deputies located a 2003 Toyota Sequoia in a field approximately 650 feet off the roadway with mud and blood on the exterior.  Deputies determined the vehicle was registered to Brice Wendell Boots, age 66, of Pikesville, Maryland.  Deputies found Boots deceased inside the vehicle and immediately established a crime scene at the location.

Detectives responded to Boots’ residence in Pikesville on the evening of Jan. 10, to locate next of kin.  While in the area, they learned from neighbors that Boots’ estranged wife, Frances Virginia Hamilton, was observed at Boots’ residence the evening prior. One of the neighbors observed two male there and believed him to be her nephews.  One of the nephews was later identified as Keon Wilson-Hawkins.  Detectives further learned that Boots and Hamilton were going through contentious divorce and that Boots had expressed fear for his safety from Hamilton on prior occasions.

A search of Boots’ residence was conducted on Jan. 11, and deputies observed evidence consistent with a physical altercation occurring within the home and Boots being forcibly abducted.

Detectives obtained surveillance video from a business near Boots’ residence which captured Hamilton and Keon Wilson-Hawkins travelling in the same vehicle to Boots’ residence on the evening of January 9.

Historical cellular phone records for Boots, Hamilton, and Wilson-Hawkins were obtained and analyzed with the assistance of the FBI Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST).  The records show that Boots, Hamilton, and Wilson-Hawkins were at Boots’ residence on the evening of Jan. 9, through the early morning hours of Jan. 10.  Boots and Wilson-Hawkins then depart the residence at approximately 4:37 a.m. on Jan. 10, and travel via interstate 70 toward Frederick.  Boots and Wilson-Hawkins arrive in the 8200 block of Crum Road around 6:20 a.m.  Wilson-Hawkins departs the 8200 block of Crum Road at approximately 6:30 a.m. and travels back to his home in west Baltimore.

Hamilton was found deceased on Feb. 24, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Her cause of death was ruled a suicide.

The grand jury for Frederick County returned an indictment on March 8, charging Keon Wilson-Hawkins with First Degree Murder, Conspiracy First Degree Murder, Kidnapping, and Carjacking.

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith said, “A lot of effort by the prosecution went into this conviction and sentencing. It was a great deal of evidence. While 85 years is a lengthy sentence, the family and prosecutors were hoping for a LWOP sentence.  Now, the family will have to endure this Defendant getting a ‘Second Look’ to seek a sentence reduction after serving only 20 years.”

The victim’s cousin described how this crime affected her family telling the court, “My cousin Brice cared deeply for his family and friends.  He was brutally taken away from us and we are left with a deep emptiness.  The brutal way he was taken will forever be burned into our memories.”

Chief Counsel Ricky Lewis and Deputy State’s Attorney Joyce King represented the State of Maryland.

Press Contact:

Jacqueline Rottmann

Court Media Relations Officer

301-600-2972

100 West Patrick Street

Frederick, Maryland  21701

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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOVEMBER 20, 2025

NEW JERSEY MAN TO SERVE 40 YEARS IN THE DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS FOR SECOND DEGREE MURDER

Frederick, MD – Today, in Frederick County Circuit Court, The Honorable Scott Rolle, ordered 48-year-old Matthew Sidney Watley, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, to serve the maximum sentence of 40 years, in the Division of Corrections for one count second-degree murder.  The Defendant pleaded guilty on October 21, 2025 in Frederick County Circuit Court.  The Defendant will receive credit for time served starting September 24, 2023.

On September 24, 2023 at 1:31 a.m., deputies were dispatched to 5236 Intercoastal Drive in New Market, MD at the Costco Depot for a welfare check.  Dispatch advised that Costco security was out with a male subject yelling and screaming at his truck, destroying its interior.  Security then advised the male subject had cut himself after punching the windshield, and then proceeded to sound the horn.  Deputies from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene and met with Costco Security located at the entrance of the campus.  Security explained that a trailer had been disengaged abruptly from its cab and had been drug for several feet.  When deputies made contact with the defendant, who was operating the vehicle, they observed the driver speaking incoherently and refusing their commands to shut off the vehicle’s engine.  Deputies placed stop sticks behind the rear wheels of the tractor trailer.  Additional deputies arrived on scene when the defendant began driving the vehicle towards the gate house.  Upon relocating the stop sticks to the front side of the tires, deputies again attempted to speak with the defendant.  The defendant proceeded to run over the stop sticks and into the complex parking lot.  Wheel chocks were eventually thrown under all wheels after the suspect made several additional starts and stops with the truck.  Deputies were able to deflate the tires and commanded the driver to exit the vehicle, placing him in handcuffs.  The driver had what appeared to be blood on his shirt, hands, and face.

Upon searching the cab of the vehicle, Deputy Storm, of the FCSO, observed a female, identified as 46-year-old Candice Thompson, also of Sicklerville, New Jersey, lying face down on the floor of the cab.  Ms. Thompson was the domestic partner of the Defendant at the time of the incident.  The victim appeared to have multiple stab wounds to her back.  EMS arrived on scene and pronounced the victim deceased at 3:00 a.m.  Candice Thompson’s body was transported to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Baltimore, Maryland.  Based on the injuries observed on Candice Thompson’s body, the preliminary cause of death was identified as blunt and sharp force trauma.

The defendant, while detained, was transported to Frederick Health Hospital.  Although an arrest warrant was issued for Matthew Sidney Watley for the murder of Candice Thompson, he remained at Frederick Health Hospital for medical and mental health treatment.

Detectives learned that Candice Thompson and Matthew Watley were in a dating relationship and had a history of domestic violence in New Jersey with the Winslow Township Police Department.

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith stated, “What a tragic loss of life. My heart goes out to the family. Domestic violence homicides are becoming epidemic in our country.  These violent offenders need to be treated harshly at the outset before they go on to take the life of their intimate partner.”

The victim’s mother addressed the Court in her Victim Impact Statement saying, “I don’t want to live after what this monster did to my daughter; he destroyed my family.”

Deputy State’s Attorney, Kirsten Brown and Chief, Violent Crimes Unit Ricky Lewis represented the State of Maryland.

Press Contact:

Jacqueline Rottmann

Court Media Relations Officer

301-600-2972

100 West Patrick Street

Frederick, Maryland  21701

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PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NOVEMBER 5, 2025

NORTH CAROLINA MAN TO SERVE 16 YEARS IN THE DIVISION OF CORRECTIONS FOR POSSESSION OF LARGE AMOUNT FENTANYL AND COCAINE AND IMPORTATION OF FENTANYL INTO MARYLAND

Frederick, MD – Yesterday, in Frederick County Circuit Court, The Honorable Julia Martz-Fisher sentenced 46-year old Xerxus Rashad Belvin, of Henderson, North Carolina, to an aggregate sentence of 65 years, suspending all but 16 years active incarceration in the Division of Corrections for three felony narcotics counts: Possession of Large Amount of Fentanyl, Possession of Large Amount Cocaine, and Importing Fentanyl into the State of Maryland. The sentence was agreed upon by the State, the Court, and the Defense, and thus cannot be modified without the State’s consent. The sentence was structured consecutively, with the Defendant having to serve 20 years, suspend all but 8 years on the large amount fentanyl count, then a consecutive 20 year sentence, suspend all but 8 years on the large amount cocaine count. The first 5 years of each of those sentences are to be served without the possibility of parole, for a total of 10 years to be served without parole. The Court suspended in its entirety 25 years on the importation charge. The Defendant also forfeited $3,818 to the use of the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Investigations Section. The Defendant will be on 5 years of supervised probation upon release. The Defendant pleaded guilty and will serve the agreed-upon sentence with credit for time served starting on April 25, 2025.

The sentence achieved is significantly above the sentencing guidelines for these offenses, which was 5 years to 8 years incarceration.

On, April 25, 2025 at approximately 1:15 a.m., a Frederick County Sheriff’s Office deputy was conducting routine patrol in the area of Spectrum Drive and MD-85 when he observed a white BMW bearing Georgia registration, repeatedly entering and exiting Route 15.  The deputy ultimately made contact with the driver, identified by his North Carolina identification card as Xerxus Rashad Belvin.  The deputy observed the Defendant shaking, sweating and unable to stay still in the vehicle.  The vehicle was registered to a friend of the Defendant.  The Defendant told the deputy that he was traveling from North Carolina to Pennsylvania.  The deputy observed a large, wrapped package in the rear seat of the vehicle.  When asked what is was, the Defendant replied, “Drugs.”  The Defendant was detained. Deputies located a large amount of individually packaged “bindles” of fentanyl, with a gross weight of approximately 1,000 grams, and a large amount of cocaine with a gross weight of approximately 500 grams. Deputies also found U.S. currency totaling $3,818.00 on the Defendant’s person. The Defendant was transported to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center.

State’s Attorney Charlie Smith stated, “The length of this sentence, particularly the portion to be served without the possibility of parole, should be a warning to anyone who seeks to use our highways to traffic these dangerous substances. We will hold you accountable.”

Chief Assistant State’s Attorney Colleen Swanson, of the Narcotics Unit, represented the State of Maryland.

Press Contact:

Jacqueline Rottmann

Court Media Relations Officer

301-600-2972

100 West Patrick Street

Frederick, Maryland  21701

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