Jaward David Hannah was an 81-year-old Black man and long-time resident of Gwynn Oak, Maryland, remembered by neighbors as a pillar of the Powhatan Farms community. On November 10, 2023 he was found dead in the garage of his Kelox Road home, handcuffed and lying in a pool of blood with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. His pockets had been turned out and his wallet was missing, suggesting robbery as a likely motive. He had been last seen working on his carport the day before.

Baltimore County Police identified 34-year-old Tavon D. Smith in their investigation after a tip from Smith’s wife. Investigators say DNA from Hannah’s clothing matched Smith, and images on Smith’s cellphone included a .22 caliber handgun consistent with the projectile recovered and photos of Smith wearing a police vest. In January 2024 Smith was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a person with a felony conviction; he is being held without bond. It was also reported that Smith had an outstanding arrest warrant for a domestic violence incident at the time of Hannah’s death, and some have questioned whether earlier service of that warrant could have averted this killing.

Did anyone in the Gwynn Oak area see or hear anything on November 9–10, 2023 that might help clarify what happened?