BETHESDA-CHEVY CHASE, MD — Authorities have identified 22-year-old Maurquise Emillo James from Baltimore as the individual arrested in connection with the tragic shooting of 87-year-old Robert Fuller Jr. at a senior living facility in Potomac.
James faces charges of first-degree murder and is currently being held without bail.
A bond review is scheduled for Thursday at 1 p.m. However, officials have yet to disclose a motive for the shooting that occurred on February 14.
Fuller, originally from Maine, had relocated to Maryland with his wife a few years ago. He succumbed to a gunshot wound to the head. According to NBC4, Fuller was a notable philanthropist, having contributed millions to the development of a new recreational center and a hospital in Maine, among other charitable efforts.
Additionally, Fuller served as a senior officer in the Naval Reserve and was a descendant of Melville Fuller, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, who played a significant role in the landmark Plessy v. Ferguson case, as reported by WGME.
Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada stated that James was apprehended on Tuesday following a brief foot pursuit in downtown Rockville. Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy mentioned that authorities arrested James “literally outside of the District Court building.”
Captain Sean Gagen from the Major Crimes Division noted that James was identified as a person of interest after a tipster recognized him from previously released surveillance footage.
This footage was captured at the Cogir Potomac Senior Living facility, where James worked as a medication technician. During his conversation with detectives regarding the February 14 shooting, he mentioned having seen Fuller while administering medication.
The same tipster also informed Gagen that employees at Cogir recognized the clothing depicted in the surveillance video, which matched items James had worn at the facility on several occasions.
Further investigation revealed that a side door frequently used by James had its alarm sensor tampered with on January 9, the last time James accessed the door before the sensor malfunctioned.
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Investigators were able to link James to the fatal shooting after bullet casings collected from the scene of a shooting in Baltimore on Tuesday matched those found at the senior living facility.
James is also facing charges related to attempted first-degree murder, felony assault, and the use of a firearm during a violent crime in connection with the Baltimore incident.
His name came to the attention of the Maryland State Police after a trooper attempted to stop a 2009 Infiniti in Baltimore City that was being driven without headlights or tags. Although James stopped at a stop sign, he exited the vehicle and fired two shots at the trooper as the officer approached.
The trooper has since been released from the hospital and is currently on administrative leave in accordance with department protocols.
The investigation into James regarding the shooting of Fuller is still ongoing.
McCarthy indicated that due to the gravity of the Montgomery County case, James will be tried for the February 14 shooting before facing charges in Baltimore.
