COLUMBIA, Md. — Three men have been charged for the August 2025 murder of a man in Columbia's Merriweather District.
Montreal Proctor, 26; Talondo Short, 36; and Damon Simpson Jr., 34, are accused of taking part in the shooting death of Leon Grant.
Detectives say Grant, of Salisbury, met Proctor in a parking lot off Dove Sail Lane.
"As Grant was entering Proctor’s vehicle, Short and Simpson approached in another vehicle," Howard County Police said in a Wednesday press release. "During the encounter, Grant was shot."
At the time of the incident detectives believed the killing was targeted.
In fact, while Simpson and Short fled following the shooting, Proctor actually stayed on scene and spoke with responding officers.
Investigators know Proctor and Grant knew one another, but haven't yet revealed a motive.
Proctor and Short are currently being held at the Howard County Detention Center without bail. According to Maryland Judiciary Case Search, Proctor has multiple prior criminal convictions including for gun crimes.
Simpson, meanwhile, was already jailed in Baltimore County for unrelated gun charges. His trial for that case starts on June 18.
Court records show that Simpson in 2008 was convicted of second degree murder in Baltimore City.
Simpson was sentenced to 25-years in prison, yet judge Charles Bernstein ordered him to serve just 15 years behind bars.
Anyone with additional information should contact police at 410-313-STOP or HCPDCrimeTips@howardcountymd.gov.
