Second homeless murder in as many months in Laurel

LAUREL, Md. - Tucked off busy Route 198 just across from Laurel Racetrack, the path leads back into some think woods that some of the city’s most wayward citizens call ‘home’.

"See the fire back there at night that's all," said a homeless man as he peered out of his tent when asked about the latest homicide.

The discovery early Sunday of a homeless Hispanic man apparently beaten to death in one of the camps has left police in search of both a motive and a suspect.

"Just based on the investigation, based on what evidence was collected, there was trauma to the upper body as well,” said Justin Mulcahy of the Anne Arundel County Police Department, “Homicide detectives are treating this as a homicide at this point."

When we hiked through those same woods, we found a different world where lean-tos and tents, coupled with five gallon buckets, an occasional skillet or even a bicycle represent everything these people own.

Ironically, the deep woods like this that provide concealment for homeless people who are trying to seek refuge from normal society also provides the perfect cover for someone trying to get away with murder.

"That's very, very frightening to us, and whatever we can do to assist or to help, we would be very willing to do so, and it does feel like we've lost a family member and I'm very worried and concerned and wondering who it is," said Nancy Graham, the executive director of the Laurel Advocacy and Referral Service or LARS.

Graham estimates there are 30 or so chronically homeless people living in the woods and while LARS provides them with some food, many refuse any other form of help.

Last month, police arrested a man at a separate camp after he poured gasoline on his girlfriend and set her on fire.

The outreach didn’t end with her death.

"Many times families don't want to be involved... we're the one that makes arrangements for the funeral working with the communities and many of the local congregations, we set something up and usually have a memorial service or something along those lines."