MURDER USA: Mark Garner Charged with the Depraved Heroin Murder of Barbara Sneden
CALIFORNIA, MD. — Another week, another heroin overdose death, and another charge of murder placed against a drug dealer. Two persons with long careers in local drug dealing are now linked by criminal charges against one; while the other drug abuser’s life came to a sudden end and her family and friends are trying to raise money to pay off her funeral expenses.
Detectives from the Vice/Narcotics division continued the investigation in an effort to determine the cause of death, and if it was, in fact, drug-related, who may have supplied the drugs which killed Sneden. Police say that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland ruled the death of Sneden to “Heroin Intoxication”.
Capt. Daniel Alioto, the commander of the Narco Squad of Sheriff Tim Cameron, reports that on August 31, 2016, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives from the Criminal Investigation Division responded to the 911 call for a possible overdose at a location in California, Maryland. Barbara Ann Sneden, 31, was found unresponsive and pronounced deceased.
Detectives from the Vice/Narcotics division continued the investigation in an effort to determine the cause of death, and if it was, in fact, drug-related, who may have supplied the drugs which killed Sneden. Police say that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland ruled the death of Sneden to “Heroin Intoxication”.
Detectives developed a suspect and began to work with our partners in the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office in an attempt to obtain additional suspect and case information. On September 30, 2016, detectives from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Vice/Narcotics Division accompanied Calvert County detectives during the execution of a search and seizure warrant in Dowell, Maryland. Police say that Garner II was on the scene and in possession of heroin which was uniquely packaged. Detectives recognized this specific packaging material and technique used by the dealer of the heroin which caused the death of Sneden.
Mark Steven Garner II, 27, of Prince Frederick, MD) for “Murder in the Second Degree, Depraved Heart” and “Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin”.
Detectives gathered additional evidence in the forms of witness statements, video surveillance, and digital evidence, which led to the case being presented to State’s Attorney Richard D. Fritz for review. State’s Attorney Fritz authorized charges against Mark Steven Garner II, 27, of Prince Frederick, MD) for “Murder in the Second Degree, Depraved Heart” and “Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin”. Suspect Garner was served his arrest warrant in the Calvert County Detention Center where he is being held on unrelated charges.
At the time of her death, Sneden was facing a court order to pay child support in an action filed by the St. Mary’s County States Attorney Richard Fritz with Craig Michael Ringler listed as the interested party. A support hearing had been scheduled for Sept. 20, 2016, three weeks after she overdosed on heroin. The court date was canceled.
Sneden’s parents had filed a court action in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court on Feb. 24, 2016, to gain custody of Sneden’s children with Barbara Sneden and Michal Weigand listed as defendants. Barbara Sneden’s address listed in the court case was shown as the Walden Sierra Counseling Center in Charlotte Hall. A mediator had recommended limited and supervised visitation for Sneden and the court so ordered on May 16, 2016.
Sneden was indicted on multiple counts of burglary and theft in Frederick County Circuit Court on March 8, 2013. Sneden entered a guilty plea to first-degree burglary on June 3, 2013, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison with 13 years and 6 months suspended. The probation was transferred to St. Mary’s County, Md.
Sneden was indicted on multiple counts of burglary and theft in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court on March 6, 2013. With Joseph Vallario III as her attorney, a plea deal with St. Mary’s States Attorney Richard Fritz resulted in Sneden pleading guilty to first-degree burglary on July 19, 2013, and was sentenced to five years in prison with four years suspended. In addition, the deal provided for three years of supervised probation. The arresting officer was Deputy Sarah Russell.
A custody hearing had been held in St. Mary’s County Circuit Court on April 22, 2013, which listed Craig Ringler as the plaintiff and Sneden as the defendant with her address listed as the Montgomery County Jail in Rockville, Md. On June 24, 2013, the court ordered that Ringler be awarded custody of the children with liberal and reasonable visitation granted to the maternal grandparents.
Sneden was indicted for dealing drugs in St. Mary’s Circuit Court on March 2, 2011, and entered a guilty plea on July 8, 2011. In a plea deal with St. Mary’s States Attorney Richard Fritz on July 8, 2011, her attorney Vallario arranged for a sentence of six months in jail and a $3,000 fine. In another case of payola for St. Mary’s County drug dealers approved by Fritz, court records show that “upon payment of fine and court costs, the sentence will be reconsidered and the defendant released”.
Garner, of 11500 Durango Drive, Lusby, Md., was charged in Calvert County District Court on Sept. 30, 2016, with possession with intent to distribute narcotics and faces a court hearing on Nov. 3, 2016. He was jailed on Oct. 3, 2016.
Garner was indicted for distribution burglary in Calvert County Circuit Court and in a plea deal with Calvert County States Attorney Laura Martin, he entered a plea of guilty to third-degree burglary on Jan. 10, 2011. THE DEAL: Five years in prison with all five years suspended. Charges of malicious property destruction and first-degree burglary were dropped in the deal arranged by attorney Robert Harvey of Prince Frederick. On April 27, 2011, court records reflect that Garner had violated the terms of his probation.
On June 19, 2010, Garner was arrested for DUI by a Maryland State Trooper at 2:48 am while he was operating a 2002 Pontiac on Rt. 2 at Holiday Drive. On Sept. 9, 2010, Calvert States Attorney Laura Martin agreed for a plea deal with 20 days in jail and all of the jail time suspended. A fine of $192.50 was also in the plea deal.
All of the jail time except for THREE DAYS was suspended, meaning the tough-talking Republican States Attorney let this drug dealer off all his time except those three long days.
Garner was indicted for drug dealing by the Calvert County Grand Jury on March 16, 2009. In a plea deal with Calvert States Attorney Laura Martin, Garner entered a guilty plea on August 6, 2009, and arranged for four years and six months in jail. All of the jail time except for THREE DAYS was suspended, meaning the tough-talking Republican States Attorney let this drug dealer off all his time except those three long days. Court records show that he violated his probation on March 27, 2011, with a warrant issued for his arrest.
From GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral expenses:
Barbara Ann daughter of Judy & Ronnie Kirk & Mike & Debbie Sneden, Granddaughter of Tom & Ella Reddington & Tom & Barbara Sneden, unexpectedly passed leaving behind two beautiful daughters and a very heartbroken family. As you know funeral arrangements are not cheap and will only cause more stress on this wonderful family. 100% of donations will go straight to the family minus whatever this website charges. Please help ease the stress on this wonderful family in this very difficult time. Anything helps.