OFFICE OF
THE STATE’S ATTORNEY
FOR
208 THE CLARENCE M. MITCHELL,
JR. COURTHOUSE
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND 21202
State’s
Attorney
For Information Contact: Margaret T. Burns
Office (443) 984-1121 or Cell Phone (443) 474-7479
Or
Joseph Sviatko, Public Information Officer
Office (443) 984-1122 or Cell (410) 790-3248
Baltimore, MD – May 14, 2008 – Tracy Asbury plead guilty today to second -degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree assault before the Honorable John Addison Howard. The maximum sentence for second degree murder is 30-years and 25 years for conspiracy to assault. Sentencing will be held sub-curia with a date to be set.
On June 20, 2007 Anne Arundel County Fire
Department responded to the scene of a car fire in the field off a ramp leading
to West Nursery Road off of I-295. The
firefighters noticed the 1993 Chevrolet Prism gas cap was missing, license
plates were missing and the area around the car was also burned. When fire officials popped the trunk they
found decomposed remains of a body later identified as Philip Calvin Airey Jr.,
36.
Statement of facts. Philip Airey had been reported missing by
his mother on June 19, 2007. She last
saw her son on June 18 just before he left to meet Tracy Asbury at a local
bar. According to witness statements, Airey
arrived alone, ordered two drinks before Asbury showed up at the bar. The two were observed by witnesses having
drinks and playing pool together for several hours before Asbury left the bar
alone at midnight. Asbury was observed
on her cell phone as she left the bar. Cell
phone records revealed that Asbury was calling Michael Martin and Robert Speake. Airey ordered his last drink after Asbury
left at 12:07 a.m. Cell phone records
indicate Asbury made several cell phone calls to Airey between 12:40 and 12:42
a.m. Shortly after that time Airey
arrived at the house on Pennington Avenue.
According to witnesses, upon his entrance to the house he was met with
fists, kicks and punches in the living room.
The fight moved down into the basement where he was further assaulted
and ultimately stabbed to death.
Witnesses at the house at the time of the assault gave statements that
they saw Michael Martin, Tracy Asbury and Robert Speake assault Airey and later
saw a body wrapped in a blanket and a sleeping bag in the basement of the
house. Another witness gave a statement
that the next day, in the early morning, he saw Philip Airey’s prism in the
alley and that Tracy Asbury was standing next to the vehicle and the trunk of
the car was open. Witnesses gave
statements that Asbury had spoken openly about an elaborate plan to assault
Airey over the course of several weeks.
Speake, 19, pled guilty April 7, 2008 to second-degree murder, conspiracy
to commit first-degree assault and use of a deadly weapon (knife) with intent
to injure. Under terms of the plea
agreement Speake was to testify truthfully in the Asbury trial. and will receive a prison term of 58-years
suspend all but 43-years at a later date.
Michael Martin’s murder trial is pending.
Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Shaffer of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.
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