Second Shooter Convicted of First-Degree Murder in Baltimore Father’s 2023 Killing

BALTIMORE, MD – A Baltimore man has been convicted of first-degree murder in connection with the January 2023 shooting death of Desmond Gardner, a case that has now seen both alleged shooters brought to justice, according to information released by the Maryland Attorney General’s office. Andrew Curry, 24, of Baltimore City, was found guilty by a jury on November 18, 2025, following a five-day trial. Gardner, 27, was en route to visit his young daughter during a lunch break from his job with the Baltimore City Department of Public Works when he was fatally shot.

The conviction of Curry marks the resolution for the second individual involved in the violent incident. Evidence presented during the trial indicated that Gardner was ambushed in broad daylight on January 26, 2023, in the 3400 block of Spelman Road in Baltimore City’s Cherry Hill neighborhood. He was reportedly shot more than 20 times by three assailants, including Curry. Gardner was unarmed at the time of the attack and was shot in the back as he approached an apartment building where his daughter was awaiting his visit.

The investigation initially faced challenges, with investigators from the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) possessing limited evidence, primarily a video capturing three masked individuals carrying out the murder. However, a significant breakthrough occurred just six days after the crime when Baltimore County Police arrested Parris Harris, then 17, in connection with a stolen vehicle. Harris was found in possession of a handgun, which forensic analysis later matched to shell casings recovered from the scene of Gardner’s murder.

Further investigation by BPD and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) revealed that Curry sustained a gunshot wound to his lower right leg during the attack, reportedly by a co-conspirator. While initial attempts to identify a suspect with such an injury through local hospitals were unsuccessful, investigators were able to establish a link between Harris and George Washington Hospital in Washington D.C. Harris’s cell phone location data showed he traveled to the area of the hospital shortly after Gardner’s murder. Hospital records confirmed that Curry had been admitted for treatment of two gunshot wounds to his lower right leg around that time. Harris was previously convicted of charges related to the murder and sentenced to life in prison plus 15 years.

Additional evidence presented to the jury included cellphone records demonstrating communication between Curry and Harris before and after the murder, with their phones consistently in close proximity. Notably, both phones were reportedly powered off during the time of the homicide. The prosecution also presented evidence that Curry posted a photograph of himself on Instagram wearing clothing identified as the same pants he wore during the murder of Desmond Gardner.

After deliberating for just over three hours, the jury returned a guilty verdict on all charges. Curry faces a potential sentence of life without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder, a consecutive life sentence for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and up to an additional 20 years for related firearms offenses. Sentencing is scheduled for March 30, 2026, before the Honorable Charles J. Peters. Curry is currently being held without bond.

This conviction represents the culmination of collaborative efforts between multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Baltimore Police Department, the FBI, and the Baltimore County Police Department, along with the Maryland Attorney General’s Criminal Division.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Maryland Attorney General.

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