A 16-year-old Baltimore boy has admitted to pulling the trigger in a Druid Hill Park killing, pleading guilty Tuesday to first-degree murder in the shooting death of 26-year-old Davonne Hare, court records show. The teen, identified in filings as Narell Brown, entered the plea in Baltimore City Circuit Court and is set for sentencing on June 2.
Judge Althea M. Handy accepted Brown’s plea on May 5. Court records list Judge Kendra Y. Ausby to handle sentencing next month. As Baltimore Witness reported, Brown had originally been headed to trial on a slate of charges that included first-degree murder, armed robbery, multiple firearm counts, and several conspiracy charges.
The case traces back to a fatal shooting on Aug. 22, 2025, when officers found Hare suffering from gunshot wounds on the 700 block of Druid Park Lake Drive. He later died in a hospital. Homicide detectives arrested a 16-year-old in September and charged him as an adult, according to WBAL.
Evidence and Defense
Investigators reviewed CCTV footage that showed a masked person walk up to Hare, pull a handgun, and fire. Separate store surveillance video later captured what appeared to be the same individual in a white T-shirt and, at times, without a mask. At the scene, police recovered a black cellphone and charger belonging to Hare, along with a 9mm shell casing and projectile. A witness told detectives they heard someone yell, “Give me what you got,” moments before the shots rang out.
At the plea hearing, defense attorney Judit K. Otvos pressed the court to factor in Brown’s age and mental-health history, urging judges to steer him toward treatment-centered placement or supervised probation instead of the maximum prison term. Brown told the court he last met with a therapist two months ago and is not currently taking medication, according to Baltimore Witness.
What Comes Next
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, when the court will weigh a pre-sentence investigation report along with any victim-impact statements before deciding his punishment. Under Maryland’s first-degree murder statute, a conviction can bring anything up to life in prison, including life without the possibility of parole, according to Justia.
Park Back In The Spotlight
Druid Hill Park has been in the spotlight in recent years as the city wrapped up major infrastructure work and reopened its popular walking loops, even as neighbors continued to raise safety concerns, as detailed by The Baltimore Banner.
City leaders have pointed out that Baltimore’s homicide count fell sharply in 2025, reaching a level not seen in nearly 50 years, a shift officials have linked to a mix of violence-reduction programs and enforcement strategies, according to The Washington Post.
The June 2 hearing will determine whether Brown is placed in a treatment-focused setting or faces the stiffest penalty allowed under law. For now, the case remains in Baltimore City Circuit Court, where it will continue to unfold under Judge Ausby’s watch.
