An Ellicott City man who fatally shot a friend in June while in a parked car playing around with a revolver and using drugs pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Dec. 17, the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office announced.
Rane Dellinger, 21, pleaded guilty in Howard County Circuit Court to second-degree murder and use of a firearm in a crime of violence, according to the county State’s Attorney’s Office.
In the parking lot of the Bethel Baptist Church in Ellicott City just before 10 p.m. June 1, Dellinger was in a parked car with two other people.
According to charging documents, Dellinger and the two others began to smoke marijuana and played around with a revolver brought by Dellinger.
Dellinger then fired a single shot, striking Jacob Mauer in the head, according to police.
Mauer, 20, of Ellicott City, was pronounced dead at the scene from a single gunshot wound.
Dellinger fled and was arrested in North Carolina on June 3, prosecutors said.
He was originally charged with first- and second-degree murder, as well as first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and a handgun violation. However, the first-degree murder charged was dropped in July.
“After a thorough investigation and review of all the evidence presented in this case, our office decided it was more appropriate to move forward with second-degree murder charges,” Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Yolanda Vazquez said in an email.
The identity of the third individual in the car has not been released.
Dellinger’s sentencing is scheduled for March 6.