Charles man found guilty of first-degree murder in 2023 stabbing

A Charles County jury found Deanthony Lamont Warrick, 35, guilty of first-degree murder for the April 12, 2023, murder of Jasmine Hicks.

Warrick and Hicks were in a relationship at the time of Hicks’ death.

Hicks was stabbed to death in the overnight hours of April 12 after an argument with Warrick. She was 29 at the time.

Video captured by security camera system on a nearby house was presented in the trial that concluded June 6.

The video depicted Hicks and Warrick exiting a red Chrysler vehicle in the 2300 block of Woodberry Drive in Bryans Road, when Warrick realized that PCP, a handgun and an assault rifle were missing from the vehicle, according to testimony.

Warrick argued with Hicks and got progressively louder, until Warrick grabbed a knife and repeatedly stabbed Hicks. Police said lacerations were found on her head, neck, hands and upper arms.

Hicks could be heard on tape, from across the street, saying, “You’ve already killed me. I’m already dead.”

Warrick tried to move Hicks, who was still alive at the time, into his car. He gave up and fled the scene.

Hicks suffered for nearly an hour before she died and could repeatedly be heard crying for help on the footage. The entire hour was played for the jury.

Warrick was located in Prince George’s County and brought in for questioning. Detective Ryan Johnson of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office conducted the interview, in which Warrick initially denied any involvement or even knowing who Hicks was.

Detectives grilled Warrick on the case, and used one of the key pieces of evidence at the scene of the crime to place him there — Warrick’s Apple watch.

In the area where Hicks was initially stabbed, investigators located an Apple watch in the grass. Before Warrick knew his watch was found, investigators asked him what kind of phone he had, if he had an Apple watch and details on what the watch looked like.

Warrick was told that they had his watch, complete with a picture of him on the lock screen.

Johnson told Warrick, “You know where I got it? Next to her dead body.”

Warrick claimed that the watch belonged to Hicks and said that she was wearing in at the time of the murder.

“One problem. In the video, she’s not wearing the watch, you are,” Johnson said.

Assistant State’s Attorney Laura Caspar later explained that in the footage captured by the neighbor’s cameras, a light could be seen turning on and off on Warrick’s arm as Hicks was being stabbed — Apple watches are activated by motion.

Warrick’s answers during the interview gradually changed as more evidence was presented. He believed that investigators did not have a video of the murder as they claimed.

He continued to demand the video, prompting the detective to say, “I’m not going to give you the gratification.”

Justin Johnson, Hick’s brother, testified as a witness on the second day of the trial.

Justin Johnson revealed in his testimony that he was with Warrick and Hicks only hours before the murder.

In his testimony, Justin Johnson said that he was the one that took the guns and drugs from Warrick, as he feared for Hicks’ life.

Before the murder, Justin Johnson described his relationship to Warrick saying, “We were cool, one of my men.”

He spoke on his slain sister, saying, “She was my best friend.”

Prior in the night, Justin Johnson claimed that Warrick had pointed an assault rifle at the car Hicks was in. The assault rifle was never found to be entered into evidence, but attorneys pointed to assault rifle ammunition found in Warrick’s possession.

Warrick was also found guilty on charges of drug possession, carrying a dangerous weapon and owning firearms after previous felony convictions.

Hicks had three children, ages 4, 5 and 7, at the time of her death.

Her obituary said, “Jasmine had an infectious smile that could light up a room. She loved basketball, and the characters SpongeBob and Tweety Bird, but most of all Jasmine loved spending time with her three children and her family.”

The state is pursuing a sentence of life without parole for Warrick. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 6.