Argument Over Dirty Laundry May Have Led To Fatal Shooting

An argument over dirty laundry may have led to the July 17 shooting death of a man in Rodgers Forge.

Baltimore County police arrested Dante Woods on July 24 and charged him with first-degree murder and weapons violations in connection with the shooting near the intersection of Murdoch and Blenheim Roads.

Cell phone records and statements made by two unidentified witnesses lead police to the man they say shot and killed Donte Stephens in Rodgers Forge last week.

Court records show that police believe that the shooting is the result of an argument between Woods and Stephens that began over dirty laundry.

Stephens lived in a home in the 100 block of Murdoch Road with his girlfriend and her daughter at the time of the shooting. Police said Woods was an acquaintance of the daughter of Stephen's girlfriend.

On July 14, Woods, who lives in the 1500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue in Baltimore, allegedly brought laundry he wanted washed to the Rodgers Forge home. An argument broke out after Stephens objected, according to a statement of charges filed in District Court in Towson.

Three days later, police were called to an intersection near Stephens’ home for a report of gunshots. Officers found Stephens dead in an overturned silver Dodge. He had been shot multiple times.

Baltimore County homicide detectives were able to obtain through a warrant records related to Woods’ cell phone.

Those records showed that Woods was in the area of Murdoch Road 90 minutes before the shooting. Those records showed that the cell phone leaves the area immediately after Stephens is gunned down and returns to the 1500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, according to the statement of charges.

In an interview with police, Woods confirmed that the cell phone number that police traced was his and that he was in sole possession of the device. He denied, however, being in the area of the shooting, according to a statement of charges.

Woods told police that he returned home from work around 3 a.m. the morning of the shooting, according to charging documents.

Homicide detectives said in court records that two witnesses challenged Woods’ account. Police withheld the names of the witnesses for safety reasons, according to court records.