Baltimore City Police announce the arrest of a man wanted in connection with the murder of a 69-year-old woman, who was found dead in Southern Baptist Church.
Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said, 62-year-old Manzie Smith Jr. has been charged with first degree murder and several other charges related to Evelyn Player's death.
Based on DNA evidence at the scene police say they were able to identify the suspect.
"There was evidence collected on the scene and through science and good work it led to Mr. Smith, enough for us to have probable cause to get a warrant for his arrest," Commissioner Harrison said.
Harrison said they're still working to determine a motive.
“There’s no information right now to support there was a relationship between the suspect and the victim," he said.
A $100,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest, but police say no tips led them to Smith.
Police tell us Smith was not their original person of interest in the case.
He is being processed at Central Booking Intake Facility.
At a joint press conference, the Police Commissioner, Mayor and Baltimore City State's Attorney spoke. Marilyn Mosby said the heinous crime, "shocked the conscious of our community."
She followed up by saying, "Our seniors and our babies should be off limits."
Smith had been sentenced to 30 years in 1991 for a sex offense. After his release, he was convicted of robbery and served an eight year sentence for the 2012 offense.
According to Corrections Officials, Smith was denied parole and had been released from prison after completing his sentence. He was under supervision with agents within the Division of Parole and Probation, that monitoring expired in October of 2021.
Player was laid to rest Wednesday.
She was a marvelous woman of God. A servant, a real servant of God,” said one man.
“She was just an outstanding woman in the community and this was a tragic time for that family.”
Her daughter and Mayor Brandon Scott reflected on her loss during the funeral.
Many say Player’s death is a tipping point for the city riddled with crime.
“What’s happening in Baltimore has been happening in Baltimore for over 40 years. This is what cities look like when you don’t invest in people and communities for decades on end,” Brandon Scott said.