MURDER USA: Ex-con drug dealer Antonio Diggs charged with homicide of Nathan Ford
ODENTON, MD. Anne Arundel County Police report that for several days, homicide detectives worked diligently and tirelessly to bring to justice the killer of Baltimore area resident Nathan Ford.
Police say that their investigation led them to several witnesses who were interviewed and gained information regarding Ford’s murder.
Homicide detectives learned that property belonging to Nathan Ford, of 2213 Conquest Way, Odenton, Md., was missing from his person on the night he was shot and killed.
Police say that through other witnesses a suspect was identified in the shooting death and robbery of Ford and was positively identified as Antonio Eugene Diggs, a twenty-nine-year-old male from the 3700 block of Saint Victor Street, Baltimore, Maryland.
Police say that on Wednesday, January 18, 2017, Western District Detectives along with Homicide Detectives executed several search warrants.
During the execution of the search warrants, detectives recovered evidence linking Antonio Diggs to the murder of Nathan Ford.
Homicide detectives obtained an arrest warrant charging the suspect, Antonio Eugene Diggs with the following crimes related to Ford’s murder: First Degree Murder, Second Degree Murder, Armed Robbery, First Degree Assault, Firearm Use in a Felony Violent Crime, and Theft less than $1,000.00.
At approximately 8:30 p.m., members of the Anne Arundel County Police Fugitive Apprehension Team and Homeland Security and Intelligence Unit accompanied by the Baltimore City Police Department apprehended Antonio Diggs in the 1600 block of Church Street, Baltimore, Maryland. At that time, he was taken into custody without incident, said police.
Antonio Eugene Diggs, of 3727 Saint Victor Street, Brooklyn, Md., is represented by the taxpayer provided public defender on the murder rap charges filed by Anne Arundel County Police Detective Myers.
Police made it clear that they believed the slaying of Ford was not personal, but just another random killing that takes place in urban areas on a regular basis.
Police made it clear that they believed the slaying of Ford was not personal, but just another random killing that takes place in urban areas on a regular basis.
“The investigation revealed this was a random act of violence as this crime can be described as a citizen robbery/murder.,” read the statement of the Anne Arundel Police.
The Anne Arundel County Police Department urges anyone with information on the murder of Nathan Ford to contact the Anne Arundel County Homicide Unit at 410-222-4731. If people with information wish to remain anonymous, they can also contact the Anne Arundel County Police Tip Line 410-222-4700 or Metro Crime Stoppers.
On the morning of Saturday, January 14, 2017, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner located in Baltimore Maryland performed an autopsy on Nathan Ford. Upon examination, they ruled Mr. Ford’s cause of death as gunshot wound(s) with the manner being a homicide. This murder is the second homicide in Anne Arundel County this year with the first being the shooting death of Terry Crouse on January 2, 2017.
- Diggs was charged in Baltimore City Circuit Court with three counts of drug possession and distribution on March 2, 2015. On May 29, 2015, Baltimore City States Attorney Marilyn Mosby dropped all the charges. Frank Cappiello, the taxpayer provided public defender represented Diggs.
- Diggs admitted he was a drug dealer on Oct. 2, 2014, in Baltimore City Circuit Court when he entered a guilty plea to drug distribution on Feb. 1, 2014. In that plea deal with Baltimore City States Attorney Marilyn Mosby, Diggs found a deal he could like. THE DEAL: in exchange for a guilty plea, he was sentenced to ten years in prison with nine years, three months and 29 days suspended. The plea ended up being Probation After Conviction and ordered three years of supervised probation. That probation stuff might not work out too good, as indicated by his current charges of first-degree murder. At the time that Mosby agreed to the sweet deal for drug dealer Diggs, he also entered a guilty plea to Violation of Probation – thus giving him more probation to violate must have seemed like a good idea to the Prom Queen Prosecutor of Maryland. On July 6, 2016, he was found guilty of the violation of probation.
- While Diggs was a prisoner at the Eastern Correctional Institution, he was charged in Baltimore City District Court on a warrant for four counts of sodomy, assault and second-degree sex offense and assault that took place on July 26, 2003. On Feb. 17, 2009, the Baltimore City States Attorney dropped all charges.
- Diggs was a resident of the Maryland State Prison at Westover, Md., due to a guilty plea to dealing drugs in Baltimore City Circuit Court on Sept. 7, 2007. His sentence in the plea deal was for five years.
- Ford was charged with assault in District Court of Anne Arundel County on May 31, 2016 and court records show that a bench warrant was issued when he failed to appear for trial on Jan. 20, 2017, as he was deceased and had already been in the custody of the Medical Examiner, making a body attachment unnecessary.
- Ford was charged in Circuit Court of Anne Arundel County on Dec. 11, 2015, with five counts of illegal possession of a firearm, having a handgun on his person and in a vehicle. On April 26, 2016, the Anne Arundel County States Attorney dropped all the charges.
- Charged with two counts of third and fourth-degree sex offenses and one count of assault on Dec. 4, 2015, in the form of a Grand Jury Indictment, Anne Arundel County States Attorney Wes Adams dropped all the charges on June 9, 2016.