Baltimore Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Two Murder for Hire Schemes

Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Tavon Slowe, age 24, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 27 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for charges arising from two murder for hire contracts.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.

According to his plea agreement, in March of 2012, a fight occurred near West Patterson Park Avenue and Chase Street.  One of the participants was Gregory Parker.  A few days later, an individual was given a “contract” to kill Gregory Parker.  The individual arranged with Slowe to kill Gregory Parker for $5,000. 

On March 16, 2012, the individual called Slowe on a cell phone and at approximately 2:30 p.m., Slowe drove his silver Honda Accord to meet the individual.  Davon Sanford was seated in the front passenger seat.  The individual told Slowe where Parker could be found and described Parker as wearing a blue floppy hat.  Less than 90 minutes later, Gregory Parker was shot multiple times by Davon Sanford with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the 2300 block of East Chase Street in Baltimore City.  Fourteen shell casings were found at the scene.  Parker was wearing a blue floppy hat when he was shot and killed.  Video surveillance depicts the shooter running from the murder scene and getting into a car driven by Slowe.

In March 2013, at the direction of the FBI, the individual called Slowe from a jail phone and told Slowe that he had been sentenced to a lengthy incarceration period after being set up by a person he had known since he was four years old. Slowe agreed to commit a murder for money.  Slowe requested two guns to commit the murder. The individual told Slowe that another person would meet with Slowe to provide the money and guns. 

On April 26, 2013, at the FBI’s direction, an undercover officer met with Slowe, and Slowe agreed to meet her again at a later date to receive the handguns and money.  Slowe was upset that he was not getting the handguns that day and would only be paid $3,000 up front, arguing that it is usually $5,000.

On April 29th, the individual spoke with Slowe and worked out details concerning the murder for hire.  Slowe stated that if the intended victim was not alone, Slowe would kill the other person as well.  Slowe also expressed concerns over the undercover officer because he did not know her. 

On April 30, an arrest operation was planned in which the undercover officer was going to meet with Slowe and provide him the guns that he requested for the murder-for-hire. Slowe did not show up for this meeting. 

On August 8, 2013 Baltimore Police arrested Slowe on drug and gun charges, and Slowe was detained.

On February 4, 2014, at the direction of the FBI, the individual called Slowe’s half-brother to hire him for the same murder.  The individual had previously used the brother, in addition to Slowe, for murder-for-hire contracts in Baltimore.  The brother accepted this contract from the individual.  Later that same day, the brother received a recorded jail call from Slowe in which the brother explained that he received a call from the individual and that he was going to meet the individual’s girl that day.  Slowe cautioned his brother about the possibility of the “girl” being a police officer or “one of them.”  Additionally, Slowe admitted to taking the contract to kill, but that he did not show up on April 30, 2013 because he believed the “girl” was a police officer. 

On September 23, 2016, Chief Judge Blake sentenced co-defendant Davon Sanford, a/k/a “Chronic,” age 33, of Baltimore, to 30 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after Sanford pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, resulting in death.   

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI, Baltimore Police Department, Safe Streets Task Force and Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys James G. Warwick and Joshua T. Ferrentino, who prosecuted the case.