County Grand Jury Indicts Trio In Pocomoke Murder

SNOW HILL - A Worcester County Grand Jury on Wednesday handed down indictments for first-degree murder and other charges for three men held in connection with the murder of a local woman found in a wooded area near Pocomoke last month.

The September 2007 term of the Worcester County Grand Jury convened on Wednesday morning and handed down an indictment against Shawn A. Treherne, 23, of Bowie, Md., David K. Justice, 20, and Kendall I. Northam, 19, both of Pocomoke, for the murder of Judy L. Wojcik, 41, on or about Jan. 13. Wojcik's body was found in a wooded area near New Bridge Rd. in Pocomoke around 8:45 a.m. on Jan. 13 and the three suspects were identified and taken into custody about 10 days later.

Each of the three suspects has now been charged with first-degree murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison; first-degree assault, which carries a 25-year maximum sentence; second-degree assault, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years; reckless endangerment, which carries a five-year maximum sentence; and theft. Their cases have now been forwarded to Worcester County Circuit Court, although no trial dates have yet been established.

Around 8:45 a.m. on Jan. 13, Worcester County Sheriff's Deputies and detectives from the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) responded to New Bridge Rd. in Pocomoke for a reported homicide and found Wojcik's body in a wooded area. The state medical examiner determined Wojcik died of numerous injuries consistent with blunt force trauma to the head, neck, back and arms.

Early on in the investigation, detectives identified Treherne and Northam as suspects, but it was not until later that they started to believe Justice was involved. On Jan. 23, police arrested Northam after a short chase and Treherne was taken into custody with the help of U.S. Marshals and the Prince George's County Criminal Task Force near Bowie, Md. Later that evening, Justice was arrested in connection with the case.

Meanwhile, new details about the alleged murder and Wojcik's last hours have emerged in the charging documents in each defendant's court files. According to court records, a concerned witness told detectives he allegedly spoke to Northam shortly after the murder was reported to the police and that Northam said himself, Treherne and another man picked up Wojcik and drove her to a wooded area where she was to perform sex acts for money.

According to court documents, Northam allegedly told the witness a disagreement arose for some reason at which time they beat and kicked Wojcik and left her in the wooded area. Northam also allegedly told the witness the three men retrieved the money they had given the victim by going through her pockets.

Justice was later questioned and he corroborated the story told by Northam to the unidentified witness. Justice said the victim was supposed to perform sex acts in exchange for money and cocaine, but something went wrong and Treherne and Northam kicked and beat the victim before the three left the area.

Detectives later located Northam at his grandmother's house and caught him trying to escape through a window. Northam was advised of his Miranda rights and agreed to talk. He said Treherne punched the victim and knocked her down. Northam then admitted he and Treherne 'kicked and stomped' the victim and left the area.