The Harford County Sheriff’s Office is seeking additional witnesses regarding the 2013 killing of Robert Wesley Johns.
On April 21, 2013, deputies found Johns, 51, of Edgewood, dead in his town home in the 1700 block of Fountain Rock Way at 9:30 a.m., after an anonymous call was made to the police. Johns had been shot in the head and his residence appeared to be ransacked, according to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Johns sold off some of his property and was in possession of a large sum of money, which police say may have been the motivation for the homicide. Witnesses reported hearing commotion coming from Johns’ home around midnight, followed by loud noises, possibly gun shots, the sheriff’s office said.
Former sheriff’s office spokesman Eddie Hopkins reported at the time that a noise complaint was also filed about Johns’ home in the early hours of April 21. Deputies responded but did not find anything.
Later that morning, deputies returned to check on Johns and found the home locked but with a TV playing inside. No one answered the door, but deputies saw blood on it. They opened the door and found Johns’ body on the floor; the home was ravaged. There were no signs of forced entry, the sheriff’s office reported at the time. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide.
Harford County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Cristie Hopkins said investigators don’t have any additional background information on Johns, other than that he was well-liked in the community. She said it’s unclear how long he lived in the county. A brother who was estranged from Johns does not live in the area and they are not aware of other immediate family members.
The cold case is being brought to light again a decade later because the sheriff’s office continually reviews open homicide investigations, Hopkins said.
“In this case, we believe additional witnesses may have knowledge of the events,” Hopkins said. “These witnesses may not have been willing or able to speak with us at the time of the incident. The passage of time may now allow these individuals to come forward and assist with bringing the investigation to a successful conclusion.”
The Harford County Sheriff’s Office asks anyone with information to contact Sgt. Chris Maddox, Criminal Investigations Division, at 443-409-3551. Information can also be provided through Metro Crime Stoppers by anonymously submitting a tip at metrocrimestoppers.org.