In the wake of two recent homicides, the Running Brook community is still very much on the mend.

Residents’ fears may have been blunted somewhat by the arrest two weeks ago of Charles David Richardson, 23, of Columbia, whom police charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Trae Davon Allen, 19, and Alevtina Zhilina, 40, both of Columbia.

But they still have questions.

Howard police and the state’s attorneys have offered scant details on how they obtained information linking Richardson to the shootings, citing the fragility of an ongoing investigation that leans heavily on tipsters and former acquaintances of Richardson.

This story continues below
Advertisement

Criminal history questioned

Jeff Brier, who lives on Hermit Path near the elementary school, asked county public safety officials at a meeting Tuesday night about Richardson’s criminal history, which in Howard included attempted second-degree murder and armed robbery charges.

Prosecutors dropped the attempted murder charge — Richardson was accused of stabbing a man outside Columbia Mall in February — when the victim refused to cooperate.

In the armed robbery case, prosecutors alleged that last summer Richardson held up the same 7-Eleven where Zhilina was killed in May. That charge was dropped because of insufficient evidence.

“What happened here? What broke down?” Brier asked.

State’s Attorney Tim McCrone said he took exception to the question.

“The Howard County Police Department is probably the best in the country,” McCrone said. “That does not mean that every time a crime is committed, the police can successfully solve it or the state’s attorney’s office can successfully prosecute it.”

Killings rattle community

The killings represented a dangerous precedent in a neighborhood known for its sense of community, said some longtime residents in the group of about 40 residents at the meeting at Running Brook Elementary School

“I think the original vision has changed over time,” said John Reid, who has lived in Running Brook for more than 30 years.

“I don’t know that we’ve ever experienced something so severe and unfortunate as we have in recent weeks.”

Reid and others asked what they could do to prevent similar crimes.

Police Chief William McMahon told the group to continue communicating with police and local leaders.

“This is a good community,” McMahon said.

“Don’t let some tragic event take that away from you.”

ACTION TAKEN

Since the first killing, Howard police have ramped up patrols and deployed plainclothes detectives to the Running Brook area in Columbia, Police Maj. Merritt Bender Jr said.

jpalazzolo@baltimoreexaminer.com