MARYLAND STATE POLICE HAVE ARREST TWO PEOPLE ON ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES

Princess Anne, MD - Two men were arrested in Somerset County, Maryland, yesterday, facing accusations of attempted murder after they allegedly set a home on fire with two people inside.

37-year-old Lascelles David Beckford of Somerset County, Maryland, and Dante Jamar Stone, 34, from Salisbury, Maryland, have been identified as the alleged perpetrators. They have been slapped with charges of attempted first-degree murder and arson, among other misdemeanor charges such as burglary, reckless endangerment, and malicious property damage.

Both individuals are being held at the Somerset County Detention Center without bail.

An attempted illegal entry into a home on the 12,000 block of Independence Court in Princess Anne was reported to Princess Anne Barrack around 3:45 p.m. on August 13, 2024. The early findings of the investigation suggest the two men set the rear of the house on fire using gasoline and obstructed the front exit with a mattress before fleeing the scene.

Responding troopers from the Maryland State Police Princess Anne Barrack spotted two individuals fitting the description nearby, one carrying a fuel container. The suspect with the container, identified later as Beckford attempted to escape on foot but was caught and arrested. A 14-inch machete was found in his possession.

Joint efforts from Maryland State Police, Somerset County Sheriff's Office deputies, and officers from the Princess Anne Police Department led to the discovery and subsequent arrest of the second suspect, Stone. Stone was taken into custody without incident. Investigators suspect both men were known to the occupants of the house. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal arrived at the scene with a K-9 unit to inspect the fire and concluded it was intentionally ignited. The ongoing investigation is being led by investigators from the Maryland State Police Princess Anne Barrack.

Once the investigation is finalized, it will be presented to the Somerset County States Attorney's Office. The Criminal Enforcement Division Eastern Region of the Maryland State Police is providing assistance in the investigation.