Man Charged In Triple Murder Wanted For Attempted Murder In 2nd County

ABERDEEN, MD ? DNA has linked a 35-year-old man to a triple homicide that happened in Aberdeen April 15, police say.

Tuesday afternoon, the Aberdeen Police Department announced that Michael Anthony Swann had been taken into custody after he was identified as a person of interest early in the investigation. An apartment fire in Aberdeen was reported April 15 around 5:30 a.m. in the unit block of Roosevelt, but when emergency workers arrived, they found three people dead. Captain Will Riber with the Aberdeen Police Department initially described the scene as "highly suspicious" at a news conference.

Detectives confirmed the victims' identities as John C. Claytor, 54, Talaya D. Wiley, 48, and Melissa L. Williams, 45, all of Aberdeen. Detectives also discovered that Swann was wanted for attempted murder in a February 2024 shooting that happened in Prince George?s County and he also was wanted for a federal parole violation, according to the police department.

Detectives worked with the Harford County Sheriff?s Office Warrant Apprehension Unit and the U.S. Marshals Service to locate and arrest Swann for his outstanding warrants. At the same time, detectives followed up on leads and evidence collected from the crime scene. Late April 23, surveillance teams tracked Swann to an apartment in the unit block of Pritchard Avenue. After a brief standoff, Swann was taken into custody by police for his multiple warrants and taken to the Harford County Detention Center and held without bond, according to the police.

On April 26, detectives received confirmation that DNA evidence collected at the crime scene linked Swann to the triple murders. Swann was criminally charged later that day with first- and second-degree murder, first- and second-degree arson, reckless APD Form 162 ? media release endangerment, and multiple other charges, the police department announced Tuesday afternoon. At the time of the murders, Swann was prohibited from legally possessing firearms.

Swann remains held without bail at the Harford County Detention Center.