Hilliard shooter gets life without parole in slaying of the Wicomico deputy
Austin Jacob Allen Davidson, the man found guilty of slaying Wicomico County Sheriff's Deputy Glenn Hilliard in June 2022, was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday.
Judge S. James Sarbanes, administrative judge of the Circuit Court for Wicomico County, sentenced Davidson to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 66 years of incarceration on July 6, 2023, after he was found guilty on all counts in a six-day trial found on May 8.
Charges included first-degree murder, second-degree murder, two counts of burglary, firearm use in a crime of violence and six additional gun related charges. Sentencing had been postponed to allow for a presentencing investigation to be completed. Davidson had remained in custody pending Thursday's sentencing.
The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit took the lead in the investigation, with State's Attorney Jamie Dykes and Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Patirizia Coletta prosecuting the case.
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The trial and the evidence
The state characterized Davidson as a man looking for a confrontation with law enforcement and staying in plain sight despite being wanted on numerous warrants. A mere three-and-a-half hours of jury deliberation led to Davidson being found guilty.
Davidson's legal team tried in vain to paint the Delmar native as a man trying to get out of town following a string of run-ins with law enforcement.
The state countered with evidence that ranged from testimony by Davidson's acquaintances to social media posts and text messages in which he was boasting he was armed with illegal and modified firearms, including an AK-47 style assault rifle with high-capacity magazines.
According to Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis, deputies received information on Sunday, June, 12, 2022, that Davidson – who was wanted by Maryland State Police in several counties, the Worcester County Sheriff's Office and city of Baltimore police – was at the Talbot Apartments complex in Pittsville.
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The night of the incident
During the evening hours of June 12, 2022, the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office received a call from acitizen advising that Austin Davidson was wanted and that he was in the area of the Pittsville Park.
Cpl. Glenn Hilliard was among the deputies dispatched to the area to locate Davidson, who had four open warrants for his arrest.
While patrolling the area, Cpl. Hilliard observed a subject matching Davidson’s description walking along Gumboro Road. As Hilliard turned his patrol vehicle around, Davidson ducked into the Talbot Apartments complex and entered the stairwell of a building.
As Cpl. Hilliard pulled his patrol vehicle to the end of the parking lot and in close proximity to the stairwell, Davidson exited the stairwell and began to flee around the building. Hilliard drew his agency-issued Taser and beganto pursue Davidson. As Davidson fled, Hilliard closed the gap to a distance of less than 10 feet, while repeatedly warning Davidson that he would be “Tased” if he did not stop fleeing.
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Davidson chose not to surrender and instead drew a fully loaded Taurus 9mm handgun, activated the laser sight, turned and fired multiple rounds at Cpl. Hilliard. Tragically, two of the rounds struck Hilliard, who was later pronounced dead at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional in Salisbury.
Members of the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office, the Maryland State Police, the Natural Resources Police, the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office & Detention Center, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, and allied agency personnel from all over the Eastern Shore assisted in the hours, days and months following the events of the shooting.
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Deputy Hilliard shooter gets life without parole in slaying
