FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 20, 2018

PRESS RELEASE

Richard Harriday Sentenced to Life for First Degree Murder

FREDERICK- Richard Harriday, age 63, of Frederick, Maryland appeared before the Honorable Scott L. Rolle in the Circuit Court for Frederick County and entered an Alford Plea to First Degree Murder. The Honorable Scott L. Rolle found him guilty and sentenced him to Life in Prison with the possibility of parole.

On February 22, 2017, Officers from the Frederick Police Department responded to a shooting that had just occurred in the 400 block of West South Street. Officers found the victim, Zachary Winters, laying on the floor inside the building with a witness rendering aid. When EMS arrived, they pronounced the victim deceased on scene. Investigation revealed that the defendant was knocking on an apartment door and yelling. The victim, Zachary Winters, was a neighbor and told the defendant to stop harassing his neighbor. The defendant approached the victim, a wrestling match ensued, and the victim punched the defendant in the face. The defendant appeared upset and left to go to his nearby garage. Witnesses heard the garage door go up and back down and then the defendant walked back to the apartment building. A witness saw a gun in the defendant’s right hand. The defendant shot the victim once in the chest and returned to his garage and stayed there until police arrived. Police negotiators were able to convince the defendant to surrender without incident.

The State was represented by State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III and Assistant State’s Attorney Amanda Leatherman.

J. Charles Smith, III
State’s Attorney for Frederick County, Maryland