Michael Aaron Lynn, 40, was sentenced Wednesday in Montgomery County Circuit Court to 60 years in prison, with all but 25 years suspended, followed by five years of supervised probation, for killing his 34-year-old neighbor, Kendall Butler Jr. Lynn pleaded guilty in July to second-degree murder and using a firearm in a crime of violence. Prosecutors said the shooting followed an earlier confrontation in which Butler punched Lynn.
A Punch, Then Gunfire in the Dark
Court filings summarized by Daily Voice describe an earlier confrontation that evening: Butler and a friend were leaving a nearby party when Butler punched Lynn. Butler later told the friend that Lynn had fired a handgun at him as he ran away, according to the filings. The two encountered each other again at Germantown Square Urban Park, where prosecutors said Lynn shot Butler at about 11:08 p.m. on November 8, 2025.
Butler was struck three times. Investigators noted that Lynn appeared to have an eye injury consistent with the earlier confrontation, Daily Voice reported. Police recovered two spent 9mm casings at the park; the handgun’s slide was also found in a position indicating it had recently been fired and malfunctioned, according to the outlet.
Scene at the Park and a Fast Arrest
A patrolling officer heard what sounded like three gunshots and went to the park, where first responders found Butler near a picnic bench with three gunshot wounds, according to Daily Voice. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Germantown Square Urban Park is a 0.75-acre parcel at Middlebrook Road and MD-118 with walking paths, a gazebo and picnic tables. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission acquired it in 1988, according to Montgomery Parks, which describes the park as an urban green space beside commercial retail and office buildings.
Police arrested Lynn near the CVS on Wisteria Drive within minutes of the shooting, recovering a 9mm handgun from him, Daily Voice reported. He was initially charged with first-degree murder before pleading guilty to second-degree murder in July.
Other Armed Men Detained That Night
The Montgomery County Department of Police said officers responding to the gunfire stopped three men fleeing the area: Lynn, 61-year-old Kent Williams Jr. and an unidentified 27-year-old. Police recovered handguns from Lynn and Williams; Williams was charged with multiple firearm offenses, while the third man was released after questioning. Maryland-National Capital Park Police and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service also responded, according to the Montgomery County Department of Police.
Butler, known locally by the nickname “Diggs” and a former Seneca Valley High School student in Germantown, was remembered in local tributes following his death, according to the National Gun Violence Memorial.
Sentencing and the Law Behind the Plea
Judge Louis Leibowitz imposed Lynn's sentence in Montgomery County Circuit Court, with prosecution handled by Assistant State's Attorneys John Lalos and Victor Orion, as reported by The MoCo Show. Under Maryland Criminal Law Article § 2-204, second-degree murder carries a statutory maximum of up to 40 years in prison, according to FindLaw, which notes the charge applies to intentional homicides committed without premeditation. Separately, Maryland Criminal Law Article § 4-204 mandates a minimum five-year sentence without parole eligibility for using a firearm in a crime of violence, with a maximum of 20 years, as explained by The Herbst Firm.
Countywide homicide and crime trends
Montgomery County recorded 24 homicides in 2025, up from 20 in 2024 but below the county’s 10-year high of 36 in 2021, according to The Baltimore Banner, citing a county police spokeswoman. Separately, the Montgomery County Department of Police’s 2025 annual report recorded an overall 9% decrease in crime compared with 2024—a broader measure than homicide counts.
