A teenager suspected in the slaying of a D.C. taxi cab driver last week has been charged in the fatal shooting of a woman last month in Waldorf, Md.
Teresa Bass, 40, was walking her dog with her husband in the Hampshire neighborhood Oct. 26 when both were shot, according to the Charles County Sheriff's Office. They were taken to an area hospital, where the woman was pronounced dead. Her husband, Jerry, was seriously injured with multiple gunshot wounds.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is charging 17-year-old Joshua Mebane with first-degree murder and attempted murder. Mebane is one of two 17-year-olds arrested last week in connection with the death of a taxi driver in D.C. He is not cooperating with investigators, News4's Shomari Stone reported.
Someone tipped authorities about the connection between the cases, and the Charles County sheriff contacted D.C. police. A Charles County investigator went to D.C. to gather more information about the taxi driver slaying, and a search warrant was executed over the weekend at Mebane's home in the Hampshire neighborhood of Waldorf. Investigators found a black handgun, ammunition and hotel receipts from the area near the murder, authorities said. They did not say whether the gun and ammunition were linked to the taxi driver's death, but they have been linked through ballistics to the Waldorf crime scene.
“It was ballistically checked through forensics in Prince George’s County and ballistically was a positive match with the shell casings and the ballistic rounds located at the crime scene,” said Capt. Ray Aportadera of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.
Mebane and Linda Bury, who authorities said began dating after meeting on a social network the night of the Waldorf slaying, were arrested Friday in the death of Quadar Muhammad, whose body was found in a burning car in the 1400 block of Brentwood Parkway NE Wednesday.
According to a court document, Bury initially told police that she and Mebane were in a car accident with the driver. She later said that they were staying at a Motel 6 when they decided they needed money, walked to the Greyhound bus station and hailed a cab. Mebane allegedly told the driver to take them to the back of Hamilton Junior High School near their motel. He also asked the driver if he could break a $50 bill, and the driver said he could, Bury told police.
When they arrived, Mebane shot the driver in the back of the head, Bury told police. The car then accelerated and crashed into a tree Bury said.
Authorities received tips that ultimately led them to Bury and Mebane, after Bury allegedly told someone that she and her boyfriend robbed a cab driver. The two looked up an online story about the incident together. She also reportedly told another person, "My boyfriend and I killed a cab driver," and showed that person a bruise on her leg.
Authorities also searched Bury's home Friday, finding a note reading, "We should have took the dude's money." Bury admitted to writing the note, according to the court document.
The Charles County sheriff knows no clear reason why Teresa, a nurse and mother, and Jerry Bass were shot. There was no robbery nor angry words exchanged, News4's Pat Collins reported.
Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for updates as they become available.
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