Alonzo Michael Epps Jr., a Baltimore man accused in a plot that left a Pikesville man dead, pleaded guilty in Frederick County today and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with five years of probation to follow. Prosecutors say Epps agreed to help carry out a conspiracy that began with an assault at the victim’s home and ended with the victim being found in a vehicle parked in a Walkersville field.
Epps pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder and received a 20-year term plus five years of probation after his release, according to CBS Baltimore. Court documents and reporting say investigators recovered a bloody glove at the Walkersville scene and used cellphone records to map where the people involved traveled on Jan. 10, 2024. Prosecutors told jurors that surveillance footage, phone data, and DNA formed the backbone of the case against multiple defendants.
Timeline and evidence
Frederick County deputies found the victim, identified as Brice Wendell Boots, inside a 2003 Toyota Sequoia in a field off the 8200 block of Crum Road on Jan. 10, 2024, with mud and blood on the exterior, as outlined by the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office. Prosecutors say surveillance footage and historical cellular records place Boots, his estranged wife Frances Virginia Hamilton, and at least one of the men tied to the case at Boots’ home the night before. Court testimony described severe injuries to Boots, including multiple stab wounds, rib fractures, and intracranial hemorrhaging, according to reporting by The Baltimore Banner.
Earlier convictions and sentences
Keon Wilson‑Hawkins, a co-defendant whose DNA prosecutors say matched material recovered at the Walkersville scene, was convicted in July 2025 and later sentenced to terms prosecutors described as the equivalent of roughly 85 years, as reported by WMAR2 News. Local reporting also notes that Frances Hamilton died by suicide on Feb. 24, 2024, before detectives could question her. Another Baltimore man, Alonzo Epps, was indicted in May 2024 and remained in custody until his guilty plea this week, court records show.
Prosecutor's statement
State's Attorney Charlie Smith called Epps’ conduct a deliberate choice, saying he "made a deliberate choice to participate in a violent and calculated conspiracy," court filings and remarks show, per CBS Baltimore. Prosecutors said the mix of physical evidence and electronic records made the state's case against the defendants clear to both jurors and judges.
Family reaction and aftermath
Boots' family told the court that the loss has been crushing. His cousin told the judge, "Losing my cousin has changed my life," according to The Baltimore Banner. The case has drawn attention for the involvement of an estranged spouse with prior law enforcement experience and for how quickly investigators tied cellphone data and DNA to the scene.
The plea resolves Epps’ criminal exposure but leaves other questions on the docket for Frederick County courts, including records of the investigation, victim-impact statements, and any bookkeeping on restitution or parole eligibility tied to the underlying charges, per official records. Local prosecutors said the investigation drew on surveillance, phone-data analysis, and forensic evidence to build the conspiracy case.
