A Montgomery County Circuit Court jury convicted two men of murder Friday in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in Aspen Hill nine years ago.

Vaughn Darvel Bellamy, now 32, of Hagerstown and Bryan Byrd, now 31, of Washington, D.C., were charged in the killing of Alexander Buie in 2013.

Bellamy, Byrd and Trevon Derick Davis of Hyattsville forced their way into a home on Grenoble Drive in November 2013 with the goal of robbing one of the residents, according to authorities. The home was serving as a recovery house at the time, and the man that the defendants planned to rob was believed to be a drug dealer with cash, county police said at the time. However, according to police, the defendants’ target had recently moved from the home.

Bellamy, Byrd and Davis confronted three men in the home, including Buie. After a physical struggle, Buie was fatally shot, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office. The other two men were not injured.

Seven months after the killing, Prince George’s County police found the gun used in the Aspen Hill shooting while investigating an unrelated homicide, for which Bellamy is now serving a prison sentence, according to police.

Davis previously pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and conspiracy to use a firearm charges and currently awaits sentencing, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

Bellamy and Byrd will both be sentenced in October on separate days. Each faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

State’s Attorney John McCarthy said in a statement Friday that the killing of Buie was a case of mistaken identity.

“Alexander Buie was a truly innocent victim, and lost his life at a time when he was trying to maintain his sobriety and get his life back on a positive path,” he said. “Justice will now be served for the family of Mr. Buie, as the men responsible for his death are being held accountable.” 

Byrd’s defense attorney David Wooten declined to comment Friday. Bellamy’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.

Dan Schere can be reached at daniel.schere@bethesdamagazine.com

A Montgomery County Circuit Court jury convicted two men of murder Friday in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in Aspen Hill nine years ago.

Vaughn Darvel Bellamy, now 32, of Hagerstown and Bryan Byrd, now 31, of Washington, D.C., were charged in the killing of Alexander Buie in 2013.

Bellamy, Byrd and Trevon Derick Davis of Hyattsville forced their way into a home on Grenoble Drive in November 2013 with the goal of robbing one of the residents, according to authorities. The home was serving as a recovery house at the time, and the man that the defendants planned to rob was believed to be a drug dealer with cash, county police said at the time. However, according to police, the defendants’ target had recently moved from the home.

Bellamy, Byrd and Davis confronted three men in the home, including Buie. After a physical struggle, Buie was fatally shot, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office. The other two men were not injured.

Seven months after the killing, Prince George’s County police found the gun used in the Aspen Hill shooting while investigating an unrelated homicide, for which Bellamy is now serving a prison sentence, according to police.

Davis previously pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and conspiracy to use a firearm charges and currently awaits sentencing, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

Bellamy and Byrd will both be sentenced in October on separate days. Each faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.

State’s Attorney John McCarthy said in a statement Friday that the killing of Buie was a case of mistaken identity.

“Alexander Buie was a truly innocent victim, and lost his life at a time when he was trying to maintain his sobriety and get his life back on a positive path,” he said. “Justice will now be served for the family of Mr. Buie, as the men responsible for his death are being held accountable.” 

Byrd’s defense attorney David Wooten declined to comment Friday. Bellamy’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.

Dan Schere can be reached at daniel.schere@bethesdda-remix.newspackstaging.com