Three Suspects Held In Weekend Home Invasion

BERLIN – Three suspects are in custody this week after an armed home invasion involving a handgun at a residence in Snow Hill last weekend.

Around 5:15 a.m. last Saturday, Maryland State Police troopers and investigators from the Worcester County Bureau of Investigations (WCBI) responded to a residence on Shockley Rd. in Snow Hill for a reported armed home invasion that had just taken place. Once on the scene, investigators interviewed several occupants of the residence, who said three suspects had entered the home illegally.

One of the suspects, later identified as Dontay Lashone Washington, 27, of Pocomoke, allegedly brandished a handgun, pointed it the head of one of the victims and demanded money. According to the police report, Washington told the victim he was going to kill him if he said or did anything he didn’t like. While at gunpoint, roughly $500 in cash was taken from the victim.

The suspects fled the scene prior to the arrival of the police, but one of the suspects, Kevin Anthony Collins, 32, of Powellville, was identified by the victims and was taken into custody a short time later at his residence in Powellville. Collins’ vehicle, a 2001 Ford Explorer Sportrac, which was used during the commission of the crime, was seized as evidence. He was held at the Worcester County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

Meanwhile, Washington and a third suspect, later identified as Timothy Lee Ayres, 39, of Snow Hill, were still on the run and considered armed and dangerous in early police reports on the incident. A short time later, with the assistance of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office and MSP troopers from the Salisbury barrack, Washington and Ayres were located in a motel in Salisbury.

Both were placed under arrest and held at the Wicomico County Detention Center on $150,000 bonds. Collins was charged with armed robbery, robbery, two counts each of first- and second-degree assault, theft, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and false imprisonment. His preliminary hearing is set for May 2 in District Court.

Washington and Ayres were each charged with armed robbery, three counts of first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault. Each is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in District Court on May 6.

The investigation is continuing this week and anyone with more information is encouraged to contact WCBI at 410-352-2476 or the Maryland State Police Berlin Barrack at 410-641-3101.