Two ex-Baltimore County cops and two young girls dead in murder-suicide
A tragic story came to horrific conclusion yesterday when two former Baltimore County Police Officers and two young girls were found dead inside a carjacked vehicle in Smithsburg, Maryland, in an apparent murder-suicide.
On Monday, police in Maryland and Pennsylvania began reporting that a former Baltimore County Police Officer, Robert Vicosa, 41, of Baltimore, who was fired from the department in August, attacked his estranged wife at her home in Pennsylvania and kidnapped the couple’s two young daughters. A manhunt ensued with Vicosa, reported to be armed and dangerous and sought on criminal charges that included kidnapping, armed carjacking, simple assault, and robbery.
Police say that Vicosa was aided in the kidnapping by another ex-Baltimore County Police Officer, Tia Bynum, 35, of Baltimore, who helped Vicosa snatch his two daughters, six- and seven-year-old Aaminah and Gianna.
At a press conference held earlier in the week, USA Today shared a statement released by the girls’ mother, whose name is not being publicized:
“I would like the public to know that Giana and Aaminah are very loving, kind and super smart girls,” the statement starts. “I am so grateful for all of the friends, family, law enforcement and even strangers for their support and prayers. I am anxiously awaiting their return. I miss them, and love them, and need them home.”
According to CBS News in Baltimore, investigators believed Vicosa was getting assistance from Tia Bynum, a Baltimore County police sergeant and close friend who had been suspended from duty in response to her involvement in the case.
According to court documents reviewed by WJZ, Vicosa and Bynum hatched a plot over the weekend to terrorize Vicosa’s estranged spouse inside her home. The pair drugged her, tied her up and left her in the house for hours, according to court documents. Both children were in the home at the time. Vicosa and Bynum then took off with the girls, according to the court documents.
USA Today reported that Vicosa carjacked and kidnapped a driver on Wednesday afternoon. According to police, he was armed and had his daughters and Bynum with him.
The search for Vicosa took a new turn Wednesday when an armed carjacking was reported in the Cockeysville area. Police said Vicosa and Bynum carjacked a man at gunpoint and forced him to drive them around before eventually letting him go. ~ WJZ
By Thursday, the manhunt for Vicosa, Bynum, and the two young, kidnapped girls would come to a tragic end.
Shortly before 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 18, the Pennsylvania State Police alerted the Maryland State Police that they located a car matching the description of the suspect vehicle involved in multiple felonies including child abduction and carjacking. Pennsylvania State Police advised Maryland State Police the grey Ford Edge was heading south of Waynesboro towards the Maryland line.
With emergency equipment activated, the Pennsylvania State Police attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle veered off the road, struck a culvert and came to rest in a grassy area off of Route 418/Ringgold Road in Smithsburg, Maryland. Maryland State Police were on the scene within seconds of the vehicle stopping.
Troopers surrounded the vehicle and attempted to make contact with the vehicle’s occupants, to no avail. Approximately fifteen minutes later troopers from the Special Tactical Assault Team Element (S.T.A.T.E.) and the Crisis Negotiation Team arrived on scene to assist. Multiple verbal requests were made by the Crisis Negotiation Team for the occupants to exit the vehicle which yielded no response.
After several more efforts were made to make contact with the occupants, troopers from the Special Tactical Assault Team Element (S.T.A.T.E.) attempted to gain access to the vehicle. With limited visibility due to window tinting and interior fogging, police utilized two 40 mm sponge rounds to break the front passenger side window knowing the front passenger seat was unoccupied. At this point, troopers could see the driver was incapacitated with apparent gunshot wounds.
Once the troopers gained access to the inside of the vehicle, they witnessed that all four occupants appeared to have suffered apparent gunshot wounds.
Vicosa and Bynum and one of the two young daughters inside the vehicle were pronounced dead on the scene. The other little girl was transported by medevac to Meritus Medical Center where she was later pronounced deceased. The police investigation is still ongoing.
For more on this tragic story, see the video accompanying this article.
(Source: Maryland State Police)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
