1.18.12: Three Men Associated with Black Guerilla Family Sentenced to Life for Murder
January 18, 2012 -- Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Alfred Nance sentenced three men affiliated with the Black Guerilla Family gang to life plus 30 to 65 years for kidnapping, robbing, and killing Qonta Waddell.
While in front of his grandfather's apartment where he also lived, Waddell was abducted not long after midnight on April 21, 2009, beaten on the head with the handle of a gun, and thrown into a pickup truck. His captors drove him to a nearby alley in West Baltimore where they took his house keys and obtained the combination to his safe. Using the keys and combination, a group of men led by William Rhodes entered the apartment of Waddell's grandfather and took $30,000 in cash from Waddell's safe. However, when Rhodes was reached by phone, he reported that he found only $4,000 in the safe. Waddell protested, calling Rhodes a liar and explaining that there was more money in his safe. Nevertheless, Waddell declared that he could secure more money from an associate, but that the individual would only agree to meet him at the home of Waddell's mother.
The abductors then transported Waddell to his mother's apartment, where Waddell placed phone calls and urged his mother not to look at any of the individuals in her home. When no one showed up with money, Waddell's captors dragged him from the apartment by his hands and feet, threw him into the truck, and returned to the alley. There, the individuals in the truck met William Rhodes and his brother, Derrell Johnson. Fearing for his life, Waddell jumped into the driver's seat and tried to escape. Peter Miller then approached the truck and shot Waddell five times, killing him.
Like his co-defendants, Peter Miller, aka "Petey," was convicted on November 16, 2011. He was found guilty of conspiracy to murder, felony murder, conspiracy to kidnap, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of false imprisonment, and use of a handgun in the commission of a violent crime. He was sentenced today to life plus 60 years.
Derrell Johnson, aka "Snags," was convicted of felony murder, conspiracy to murder, kidnapping, conspiracy to kidnap, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, and use of a handgun in the commission of a violent crime. He was sentenced today to life plus 30 years.
William Rhodes, aka "Jim Dog," was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy to murder, felony murder, conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced on January 17, 2012, to life plus 65 years.
"Thanks to the hard work of police and prosecutors, we have removed three exceedingly violent men from our streets and secured them in prison. The successful prosecution of these individuals represents a significant victory for the safety of our city and citizens," State's Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein said.
Assistant State's Attorney Rita Wisthoff-Ito prosecuted the case.