BETHESDA-CHEVY CHASE, MD — Maurquise James, a resident of White Marsh, has been deemed competent to face trial for the shooting death that occurred on February 14 at a senior living facility, as reported by Fox 5.
This determination was made following a competency evaluation requested by officials last week. The preliminary hearing is set for March 27.
James is currently held without bail on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of 87-year-old Robert Fuller Jr., who was found dead at the Cogir Potomac Senior Living facility from a gunshot wound to the head.
Fuller, originally from Maine, had relocated to Montgomery County with his wife and continued to live in the area after her passing. He was well-known for his charitable contributions, including funding projects like a women’s veteran shelter and a hospital.
James had been employed as a medication technician at the senior living facility since October. During the early stages of the investigation, he acknowledged having interacted with Fuller, stating they had a good rapport.
The competency evaluation follows the prosecution’s claims during a bond hearing that James had allegedly planned the shooting for over a month.
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At that hearing, Jodie Mount, an assistant state’s attorney for Montgomery County, characterized the incident as a “pre-planned, cold-blooded killing” that occurred while Fuller was in his bed.
As of now, investigators have not disclosed a motive for the shooting.
James became a person of interest due to several factors, including:
- His clothing matched that seen in surveillance footage released by the Montgomery County Police Department.
- Cogir employees reported suspicious behavior, questioning why James was still at the facility after his shift had ended.
- A side door frequently used by James had its alarm sensor tampered with, and he was the last person to use it before it malfunctioned.
The most significant evidence linking James to the shooting was bullet casings that matched those found at the scene of a separate shooting in Baltimore City.
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On the same day police announced James’s arrest in the Fuller case, Maryland State Police disclosed that he had also been arrested for firing at a trooper during an attempted traffic stop.
According to reports, James was driving a 2009 Infiniti without tags or functioning headlights. When the trooper approached the vehicle, James fired two shots before fleeing the scene.
The trooper, who did not return fire, was later treated for injuries and released from the hospital. In the Baltimore shooting incident, James faces multiple charges, including attempted first-degree murder and assault.
Authorities have indicated that the Montgomery County case will take precedence due to its severity.
