Background: News footage of the Potomac, Md. home of Pauline Yvonne Titus-Dillon (WRC). Inset: Spencer Dillon Hamilton (Montgomery County Department of Police).
A Maryland man turned himself into police and allegedly told them that he stabbed his grandmother to death after “lying in wait” at her home.
Spencer Dillon Hamilton, 27, is in custody without bail after being charged by Montgomery County Police with first-degree murder. According to court documents obtained by WRC, a Washington, D.C.-based NBC affiliate, Hamilton walked into the Rockville City Police Station on Sunday at around 8 p.m. and told officers that he had just killed his grandmother, 87-year-old Pauline Yvonne Titus-Dillon. Officers reported to her home and found her deceased.
According to the documents, which were also obtained by local Fox affiliate WTTG, Hamilton allegedly told police that in the early hours of March 30, he was “lying in wait” in his grandmother’s bedroom closet. At around 4 a.m., Titus-Dillon exited her bathroom and entered her bedroom, where her grandson allegedly attacked her. Hamilton allegedly confessed to stabbing her in the back and head, strangling her, and punching her in the face and head, and that he was carrying the suspected murder weapon at the time of his arrest. Police did not say if he had a motive for the alleged killing.
Hamilton then told the police, per court documents, that he moved his grandmother’s body and attempted to clean up the scene. Before leaving the home, he allegedly stole her phone, credit cards, and laptop computer.
Police charged Hamilton with first-degree murder and took him into custody, where he is being held without bond.
During his court appearance on Monday, Hamilton stated that he wanted to act as his own attorney. WRC reported that upon hearing this, the judge consulted with a public defender and ordered that Hamilton undergo a psychiatric evaluation. He is due back in court on April 7.
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