GLEN BURNIE, Md. — Early Monday morning calls came in to the 911 center in Anne Arundel county for a fire in the woods around Sycamore Drive and Ritchie Highway in Glen Burnie.
"When they got out there they found a RV fully engulfed in flames," said an Anne Arundel County Police official.
After they put out the fire, Dennis Perry Sr. was found dead in the debris of his burned out RV.
RELATED: Arrest made after man found dead inside burning RV in Glen Burnie
This is the second homicide in the county this year, the first homicide's suspect is locked up awaiting trial.
Perry was squatting in his recreation vehicle back in the woods and police were stumped to what had happened, but that confusion would not last for long.
"They took our victim for an autopsy and they determine he died from blunt force trauma. So, this man was beaten to death before the RV was on fire."
More evidence came easily for the police.
A bag, untouched by the fire, with identification of Jason Nichols found near by. Police went to Nichols house and talked with other people there. They said he came home early in the morning and was washing his clothes that had blood stains all over them. A witness at the fire scene said they saw a man close to Nichols' description wearing a red hat. A red hat was found where Nichols lives.
"It was one of the pieces of evidence they were able to recover once they identified the suspect."
So with the murder scene and the suspect barely a mile apart and the alleged murder weapon found in the fire, a chard hammer, police had all they needed to make an arrest.
Nichols confessed to the murder.
