Eleven years after 51-year-old Mark Nicholson was shot and killed outside his Northwest Baltimore home on April 17, 2015, his family and neighbors say they are still waiting for answers. Nicholson, a plumber, father of two and grandfather of two, was reportedly shot multiple times after stepping out to his car to get medicine. In Ashburton, residents say the questions keep piling up while the case keeps getting colder.
Local coverage at the time captured the family's plea and the thin details investigators were working with, and relatives told reporters they were struggling to accept what had happened, according to WBAL. WBAL also recorded neighbors calling the killing "surprising" and "eerie," and reported that police urged anyone with information to contact Metro Crime Stoppers right after the shooting.
Investigators suspected he was targeted
Det. Brian Lewis, who worked the case, told WMAR-2 News in earlier interviews that Nicholson "worked every day and was a law‑abiding citizen" and that investigators "don’t think this was a random attack"; they believed he was targeted. The outlet reports that the primary and secondary detectives first assigned to the file have since retired, a handoff that detectives say has made follow-up work tougher. With no witnesses, no camera footage and no recovered weapon, investigators say they remain heavily dependent on public tips to breathe new life into the investigation.
Rewards and how tips are handled
Metro Crime Stoppers maintains an active listing for Nicholson’s case and outlines how people can submit tips anonymously online or by phone, explaining that its program and Baltimore City's gun-bounty effort have both put up cash to encourage information, per Metro Crime Stoppers. Community members sometimes add their own private rewards in stubborn cold cases, and police say those combined incentives can be enough to nudge reluctant witnesses out of the shadows. Investigators stress that even a small new detail can redirect a long-running probe.
How to help
Metro Crime Stoppers reports the total reward tied to Nicholson’s case has climbed to as much as $12,000, including an $8,000 contribution from his family. Anyone with information is asked to call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-LOCKUP or submit a tip at metrocrimestoppers.org. Family members and detectives say they are still hopeful that someone who knows what happened will finally come forward with the piece of information that leads to an arrest. For now, the case remains open and investigators continue to lean on the community in the search for closure for Nicholson’s loved ones.
