Police Identify The Deceased Involved In Apparent Murder-Suicide In Washington County

(SMITHSBURG, MD) — Maryland State Police have identified the deceased individuals located inside a grey Ford Edge after an apparent murder and suicide today in Washington County.

Police identified the woman in the front seat of the vehicle as Tia Bynum, 35, of Baltimore. Bynum was pronounced deceased on scene by emergency medical service personnel. Bynum was wanted by the Baltimore County Police Department and considered armed and dangerous.

The deceased man located in the back seat of the vehicle is identified as Robert Vicosa, 41, of Baltimore. Vicosa was pronounced deceased on scene by emergency medical service personnel. Vicosa was also a wanted fugitive for committing multiple felony crimes in Pennsylvania and in Maryland.

Police believe the two juveniles located in the back seat were Vicosa’s children. One was pronounced deceased at the scene and the other was transported by Maryland State Police medevac to Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown where she was pronounced deceased.

Shortly before 2:30 p.m. today, the Pennsylvania State Police alerted the Maryland State Police that they located a car matching the description of the suspect vehicle involved in multiple felonies including child abduction and carjacking. Pennsylvania State Police advised Maryland State Police the grey Ford Edge was heading south of Waynesboro towards the Maryland line.

With emergency equipment activated, the Pennsylvania State Police attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle veered off of the road, struck a culvert and came to rest in a grassy area off of Route 418/Ringgold Road in Smithsburg, Maryland. Maryland State Police were on the scene within seconds of the vehicle stopping.

Troopers immediately surrounded the vehicle and attempted to make contact with the suspects to no avail. Approximately fifteen minutes later troopers from the Special Tactical Assault Team Element (S.T.A.T.E.) and the Crisis Negotiation Team arrived on scene to assist. Multiple verbal requests were made by the Crisis Negotiation Team for the occupants to exit the vehicle which yielded no response.

After several more efforts were made to make contact with the occupants, troopers from the Special Tactical Assault Team Element (S.T.A.T.E.) attempted to gain access to the vehicle. With limited visibility due to window tinting and interior fogging, police utilized two 40 mm sponge rounds to break the front passenger side window knowing the front passenger seat was unoccupied. At this point, troopers could see the driver was incapacitated with apparent gunshot wounds.

Troopers took immediate action to get further inside the vehicle to check the welfare of the children in the back seat. All four individuals appeared to have suffered apparent gunshot wounds.

The two adults, later identified as Vicosa and Bynum and one of the two juveniles inside the vehicle were pronounced deceased on the scene. The other juvenile was transported by medevac to Meritus Medical Center where she was later pronounced deceased. Both adults and both children have been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for autopsy.

Troopers from the Hagerstown Barrack and the Criminal Enforcement Division along with several specialized Maryland State Police units responded to the scene including the Special Tactical Assault Team Element (S.T.A.T.E.), the Crisis Negotiation Team, and the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit. Forensic Sciences Division crime scene technicians responded to process the scene.  Deputies from the U.S. Marshals Service, officers from the Baltimore County Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Police were on scene to assist. The Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office was notified.

There is no motive known at this time for the shooting. Investigators on the scene located an assault rifle and other firearms in the vehicle.

Police have cleared the scene. Route 418/Ringgold Road in Smithsburg is now open.

The investigation continues. 

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