Baltimore police announced on Sunday, March 3, 2019, that they have arrested the husband and stepdaughter of Jacquelyn, a 54 year old woman who was fatally stabbed in December 2018. The two were first described by police as witnesses to what was called a random attack by a panhandler.
According to police, Keith, 52, and Valeria, 28, were both charged with first degree murder in the Dec. 1, 2018 death. Authorities said Keith was arrested by Texas State Police, and that both were taken into custody in Harlingen, Texas, near the Mexico border, more than three months after the killing. Charges are allegations, and both are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Police said Keith and Valeria were with Jacquelyn the night she died and told officers that a panhandler stabbed her. The original account described Jacquelyn giving money to a woman holding a sign asking for help feeding a baby while she sat in her car on Valley Street. A man was said to have reached into the car, grabbed her wallet and stabbed her before running off. She later died at a hospital.
After further investigation, detectives shifted their focus to the two relatives. Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said investigators presented their evidence to a judge, who signed warrants for first degree murder. He said the evidence showed it was not a panhandler, and he did not state a motive.
City leaders reacted strongly. The mayor’s office said the city mourned Jacquelyn’s death and called it a double tragedy to learn that family members were accused of staging the killing as random violence. Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said she was disappointed that the suspects were accused of exploiting negative perceptions of the city, and that her office looks forward to seeking justice for Jacquelyn’s family in court.
It was not clear from the announcement whether Keith or Valeria had attorneys or had responded to the charges.
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