A 34-year-old Maryland man, Rondale Dickerson, is accused of fatally stabbing his fiancée, 44-year-old Shelaya Broadwater. Reportedly, the couple got engaged just days before Dickerson allegedly killed her.
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According to a release issued by the Howard County Police Department (HCPD), the incident occurred on September 18. At around 3:06 p.m., police responded to a West Springs Drive residence after receiving a report of a woman suffering from multiple stab wounds.
Upon arrival, officers found Broadwater with the aforementioned injuries, and she was declared deceased at the scene. No signs of forced entry were found by the authorities, who initially believed the incident was targeted.
WBAL reported, citing EMS radio communications, that Dickerson allegedly entered the apartment at around 5 a.m. on September 18. According to authorities, Broadwater was mad at him for an unspecified reason.
Hours later, Broadwater’s son discovered his mother’s body and called 911, triggering the police response. He told police officers that Dickerson had broken into the West Springs Drive apartment.
A court charging document obtained by WBAL detailed that Dickerson was “pounding on the door” of the apartment and left when no one answered. After Broadwater’s son left the apartment and returned hours later, he found his mother dead.
Arrested And Charged
On September 18, Rondale Dickerson was arrested at a Walmart and charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, assault, and home invasion. Allegedly, he confessed to stabbing Broadwater to death.
Currently, the authorities have not released a motive, and the investigation remains ongoing.
“This looks like a really sad domestic incident,” Howard County Police spokesperson Seth Hoffman told WBAL. “We’re not certain what the motive is at this point, whether if it was something ongoing or something that happened in the spur of the moment.”
Dickerson is currently being held at the Howard County Jail without bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 22.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. You can also chat with a representative at thehotline.org or by texting “START” to 88788.