ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Two people tied to a November ambush murder and stolen vehicle pursuit on Norton Street were charged Friday night, according to the Rochester Police Department (RPD).
33-year-old Jerrod Dozier and 29-year-old Jessica Maynard were both charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon following both of their arrests on November 14 for a pursuit with a stolen vehicle, along with an ambush murder on November 12. According to the RPD, Dozier remained in custody following the arrest, and the murder charges were lodged against him today.
The RPD says Maynard was located this afternoon by their tactical unit, was taken into custody without incident, and was remanded to the Monroe County Jail.
Dozier and Maynard were identified as the suspects during the course of an investigation by the RPD of an ambush to a vehicle on Norton Street. On November 12, 27-year-old Terry J. Howard was the front passenger in a car being driven by another person, with a seven and eight-year-old child in the backseat.
The RPD says as the car pulled into a driveway on Norton Street, it was ambushed by a gunman who fired multiple gunshots into the vehicle. Howard was the only person struck by the gunfire. He was taken to Rochester General Hospital by the driver of the vehicle, where he died from the injuries.
One of the children in the back seat was Howard’s child, while the other child was that of the driver of the vehicle.
Two days later, on November 14, RPD officers became involved in a pursuit with a stolen vehicle. Dozier and Maynard were arrested that night and were charged with criminal possession of stolen property, along with other charges related to the vehicle pursuit. Maynard was released at arraignment, while Dozier was remanded into custody because of his current probation status.
Rochester police say Dozier was convicted of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine in May of 2013, where he was sentenced to 14 years in prison with five years post release supervision. He was released from prison on October 7 of this year and was placed on supervision until 2027.
According to the RPD, it is alleged in the criminal complaint that on the evening of November 12, Maynard and Dozier acted in concert to surveil, ambush and ultimately kill the victim on Norton Street.
Police also say that based on their investigation, the instances that took place were a targeted ambush killing. They are withholding the motive for murder at this time.
The RPD says that Dozier and Maynard will be arraigned in city court on Saturday, where additional charges may be submitted to a Grand Jury.