On July 3, 2023, Jriley James Leroy Downs, a 20-year-old Black man from Annapolis, was shot dead in an alley on the 2200 block of West Baltimore Street after arranging to buy marijuana. Downs and his eight-months-pregnant girlfriend met an individual known as Cheddar on the 2600 block of Saint Benedict Street; once Cheddar entered their vehicle he directed them to the alley, wore a ski mask, and repeatedly asked if Downs was armed. A ShotSpotter alert brought police, who found Downs with five gunshot wounds to the head. He was taken to the University of Maryland Medical Center Shock Trauma, where he was pronounced dead.

Nine days after the shooting police arrested 19-year-old Kharod O Neill of Owings Mills and recovered a loaded 9mm handgun from his car. The girlfriend identified O Neill from a photo array and described the events in the car. Investigators cited cell phone records and recorded jail calls in which the suspect used the nickname Cheddar. Prosecutors allege Downs was lured to the alley to be robbed and killed; shell casings from the scene were later matched to the firearm recovered.

Does anyone have information about Downs, the day he was killed, or the 2600 block of Saint Benedict Street?