Baltimore killer commits third murder after being paroled twice for prior slayings

A antheral with a decades-long grounds of unit has been convicted of first-degree execution successful Baltimore, his 3rd execution condemnation since 1986, according to State’s Attorney Ivan Bates.

Reginald Lively was sentenced to beingness successful situation without the anticipation of parole for sidesplitting 68-year-old John Hall III successful his Northwest Baltimore flat successful 2021.

Lively, 68, had doubly been released connected parole for earlier execution convictions, 1 successful 1986 and different successful 2000, earlier this latest killing.

According to the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, Lively antecedently pleaded blameworthy successful 1986 successful Anne Arundel County to the second-degree execution of Eleanor Williams, serving 8 years of a 20-year sentence. After his release, helium pleaded blameworthy successful 2000 successful North Carolina to the second-degree execution of Willy Mae Arrington. He was sentenced to 30 years successful that lawsuit and served astir 12 earlier being paroled again.

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A acold lawsuit probe led to the execution condemnation of Reginald Lively for the brutal sidesplitting of John Hall III successful a Baltimore flat successful 2021. (Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City)

"This convulsive offender should ne'er person been allowed to locomotion free," Bates said successful a connection connected Nov. 12. "Thanks to Chief Bjorklund’s relentless advocacy for Mr. Hall’s family, those days are over. No longer volition repetition convulsive offenders service a fewer years lone to beryllium released and terrorize our communities again. My bureau volition proceed to guarantee they look the afloat value of justice."

For respective years, Hall’s decease remained unsolved. The lawsuit was revived nether the absorption of Cold Case Unit Chief Kurt Bjorklund, whose squad conducted caller investigative enactment that yet led to a assemblage condemnation for first-degree execution and usage of a deadly weapon.

On the greeting of May 28, 2021, astir 10:25 a.m., officers responded to an flat astatine 3809 Clarks Lane aft reports of an unconscious and injured man. Maintenance workers had entered the portion aft residents connected little floors complained of h2o leaking from their ceilings. Inside, they recovered Hall connected the floor, bleeding and covered with a blanket. He was pronounced dormant soon aft 11 a.m.

An autopsy aboriginal revealed Hall had suffered astatine slightest 17 blunt-force injuries and 88 sharp-force wounds. The aesculapian examiner ruled his decease a homicide.

Investigators learned that Hall, who lived alone, had won astir $1,000 astatine a casino the nighttime earlier his death, but nary comparable magnitude of currency was recovered successful his apartment.

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A Baltimore Police forensics technician documents the country wherever a antheral was fatally changeable by police, connected Nov. 7, 2023, successful Baltimore.  (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Sun via AP, File)

Attention soon turned to Lively, who lived successful the aforesaid building. Surveillance video showed him entering the elevator astir 6:17 a.m. connected the greeting of the execution and exiting astir 35 minutes aboriginal carrying a integrative container that appeared to incorporate a heavy, reddish-stained object. When helium returned little than 15 minutes later, the container was gone.

Phone records placed him successful the gathering during the apt clip of the killing, betwixt 6:32 and 6:41 a.m. Detectives besides discovered that Hall had antecedently accused Lively of trying to bargain wealth from him. Because of terrible gout, Hall often near his doorway unlocked successful the mornings to debar repeated trips to reply it.

Police executed a hunt warrant connected Lively’s flat connected June 11, 2021, uncovering covering that matched what helium wore successful the surveillance video. DNA investigating aboriginal confirmed Lively’s beingness wrong Hall’s apartment.

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Baltimore Police analyse the tract of a wide shooting successful the city's Brooklyn Homes vicinity connected July 2, 2023. (Nathan Howard/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

During questioning, Lively initially denied involvement, claiming helium had been asleep. When confronted with surveillance images, helium admitted helium was the antheral successful the video but gave conflicting explanations, astatine 1 constituent claiming the container contained a wrench taken from a vacant unit, an relationship investigators did not find credible.

"Clearly, this probe needed ‘fresh eyes,‘" Bjorklund said. "Without question, the record contained important grounds against the suspect dating from 2021, but determination were much avenues to pursue, including further DNA testing. Credit is owed to the Baltimore Police Department for its continuing probe and collaboration with SAO’s Cold Case Unit."

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With his latest conviction, Bates’ bureau said Lively volition walk the remainder of his beingness down bars without the anticipation of parole, ending a convulsive transgression vocation that doubly saw him freed aboriginal earlier sidesplitting again.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].