BALTIMORE — Justice for a daughter who lost her dad too soon.
Desmond Gardner was on lunch break when he went to visit his daughter in Cherry Hill.
Just steps away from the apartment building on Spelman Road where his daughter was waiting, Gardner was ambushed.
Shot 20 times, including in the back, Gardner was dead.
At first Baltimore Police detectives had little to go on.
Video only showed three masked individuals committing the heinous murder.
Six days later a big lead came in through Baltimore County Police, who were investigating a stolen car that happened to be occupied by a 17-year-old named Parris Harris.
Officers reportedly saw Harris locking a glove box inside the car before he tried fleeing.
Inside that glove box was a gun, that matched the weapon used to kill Gardner.
This new evidence prompted detectives to take a look at Harris' cell phone, which showed pictures of him wearing the same clothes as one of suspect seen in the video.
In another photograph Harris appeared to be holding the same gun found in the glove box.
Police checked cell tower records which tracked Harris heading towards the Cherry Hill area shortly before the murder.
After a three day trial and five hours of deliberations, a jury convicted Harris, now 19, on all counts including first degree murder.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 23.
“This was a young father whose life was struck down just steps away from seeing his daughter and now she is forced to grow up without him,” said Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown. “I can only hope that this verdict brings some solace to her and her family."
