Tayvon Kenan

In the early hours of May 23, 2021, a dispute in Baltimore’s Homestead neighborhood escalated into a burst of gunfire that claimed the life of Tayvon Kenan, a 39-year-old man. Police were called to the 1500 block of Carswell Street just after 2 a.m. for a reported shooting. When they arrived, they found Kenan unresponsive on a rowhouse porch and a 50-year-old man nearby who was also suffering from gunshot wounds. Both men were transported by ambulance to local hospitals, but Kenan’s injuries were fatal, and he was pronounced dead by medical personnel. The second victim was treated for his injuries and survived.

The investigation into the double shooting led Baltimore police to identify a suspect within weeks. On June 8, 2021, officers arrested 19-year-old D’Angelo Woodrum in connection with the incident. Authorities also brought charges against a second person, a 19-year-old woman, in August 2021. She was accused of being an accessory after the fact to murder, as well as second-degree assault and conspiracy. Prosecutors alleged that she provided the murder weapon to Woodrum and later helped him conceal evidence. A judge granted her release to home detention while awaiting trial.

Woodrum was charged with a series of offenses, including first-degree murder for Kenan’s death, attempted first-degree murder for the shooting of the second man, and multiple firearm and conspiracy counts. His case proceeded to trial in Baltimore City Circuit Court in October 2022. By then, Woodrum was 21 years old.

During the trial, the prosecution presented police body camera footage from the night of the shooting, giving jurors a view of the immediate aftermath. The video showed one of the first responding officers arriving at the chaotic scene, where the wounded 50-year-old man limped toward the officer and pointed to the porch where Kenan lay mortally wounded. The officer testified to finding shell casings on the sidewalk in front of the home. As of the trial in October 2022, the case against Woodrum was still proceeding through the court system.