A brief bump between strangers on a Baltimore MTA bus has led to a lifetime behind bars. On Friday, a judge sentenced 63-year-old James Richburg to 70 years in prison for fatally shooting fellow passenger William Womack, 32, after an argument turned violent in November 2024.
The punishment caps a jury trial held last year in which Richburg was found guilty of murder and firearm offenses tied to the shooting.
Sentence Handed Down This Week
Richburg’s 70-year term stems from a confrontation that started as Womack was getting off the bus. Charging documents and court records show Womack bumped into Richburg while exiting, which sparked a heated exchange, according to WMAR 2 News.
How a Bump Turned Deadly
Prosecutors told jurors that surveillance video and witness testimony showed the argument escalate almost immediately after the bump and a few angry words. As reported by WBAL TV, charging documents say Richburg shouted, "I'm not going to let you live," then got back on the bus and fired a single shot into Womack’s chest.
Arrest and Criminal History
The Baltimore Police Department says detectives arrested Richburg on December 9, 2024, while he was riding an MTA bus in the 1600 block of North Fulton Avenue. Investigators said witnesses helped identify him, according to Baltimore Police.
Online court records and prior reporting show Richburg had a robbery conviction from 1996 and later served a five-year sentence after a 2021 firearms possession conviction.
Prosecutors and Family Respond
After the earlier guilty verdict, State’s Attorney Ivan Bates labeled the crime "despicable" and said that carrying illegal firearms leads to deadly outcomes, according to a press release from his office. Family members of Womack told prosecutors the conviction and now the lengthy sentence gave them a sense of justice, the State’s Attorney’s Office noted in its statement.
WBAL previously reported on the jury’s guilty findings in the case.
What Riders Can Expect
The killing reignited long-running fears about safety on public transit. The Maryland Transit Administration offered condolences to Womack’s family and stressed that incidents like this are rare compared with the overall number of rides on the system, according to CBS Baltimore.
Investigators say bus surveillance footage and witness tips were central to identifying Richburg and building the case that ultimately led to his 70-year sentence.
